SAM Kerr has broken her silence on her court case from earlier this year as it was confirmed she will remain captain of the Matildas.<\/p>\n
In February, Kerr was found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after footage was released of her being arrested in January 2023.<\/p>\n
Somehow her arrest and the circumstances around it were kept secret with Football Australia not aware of what happened as they played host to the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n
Despite being found not guilty, Kerr’s behaviour attracted widespread criticism with many calling for her to be stood down as the national side’s leader.<\/p>\n
“I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,” Kerr said via a Football Australia media statement.<\/p>\n
“It was an incredibly difficult period for me, my family, my club, my teammates, and especially for the fans whose support means so much to us.<\/p>\n
“I recognise that leadership means being mindful of our actions both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n
“I’m proud of the Matildas, the role I have played as a member of that team, and everything we stand for, and I’m committed to learning from this experience.<\/p>\n
“Moving forward, I’m focused on doing my part to ensure we grow even stronger together, and I look forward to having the opportunity of rejoining the team once I’m fit and ready.”<\/p>\n
Football Australia confirmed they had sat down with Kerr and discussed the impact of her actions at length.<\/p>\n
“Knowing how Sam (Kerr) feels about the events, along with the additional context we’ve learned, has added vital perspective that the general public may not be aware of,” Football Australia chairman Anter Isaac said.<\/p>\n
“Setting aside those difficulties, this one incident should not offset the incredible contributions she has made, both publicly and privately, on and off the field \u2013 for more than 15 years.”<\/p>\n
Kerr is currently recovering from an ACL injury and is yet to be cleared to return to the field.<\/p>\n
BY SEN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SAM Kerr has broken her silence on her court case from earlier this year as it was confirmed she will remain captain of the Matildas. In February, Kerr was found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after footage was released of her being arrested in January 2023. Somehow her arrest and the circumstances around it […]<\/p>\n