Sam Kerr, the star striker for both the Chelsea Football Club and the Australian national team, has been spotted in public for the first time since her racial harassment charge became public earlier this month. The footballer was photographed on Thursday in London, where she appeared relaxed while spending time with her fiancée, fellow footballer Kristie Mewis.
Kerr, 30, has remained out of the public eye since March 5, following the revelation of the charges against her, which relate to an alleged incident involving a police officer in early 2023. According to reports, the incident occurred during a dispute over a taxi fare, during which Kerr allegedly used racially aggravated language towards the officer. The Chelsea forward has since entered a plea of not guilty and is expected to face trial in February 2025.
Despite these serious legal issues and a recent knee injury that has jeopardized her chances of competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kerr appeared to be in good spirits while out in London. Earlier in the day, she was seen leaving Chelsea’s training center in Cobham, dressed casually in a tracksuit. By the evening, she had changed outfits and stepped out in central London for a date night with Mewis, who is also a professional footballer, playing for West Ham United.
Mewis was photographed wearing a chic all-black ensemble, consisting of a sheer top, jacket, miniskirt, and boots. Kerr, in contrast, opted for a more understated look, dressed in a casual yet stylish outfit. The couple seemed to be enjoying their evening, with no signs of Kerr’s challenging start to the year weighing her down.
Earlier in the day, when approached for comment about the ongoing legal proceedings, Kerr declined, stating, “Sorry, I don’t want to talk about what happened.”
The charges against Kerr, which have caused significant media attention, stem from an incident on January 30, 2023, and involve allegations of harassment using racially charged language towards a police officer. Kerr’s defense, as stated by her legal team, is that she did not intend to cause alarm or distress, and her behavior should not be considered racially aggravated.
The case has drawn significant attention, not only due to Kerr’s high-profile career but also because it remained undisclosed to Football Australia and the Matildas team management until the story broke in the media. There have since been calls for her to be stripped of the Matildas captaincy, although no official decisions have been made in this regard.
In addition to the legal challenges, Kerr is recovering from a serious knee injury, which required surgery in January. The injury, which occurred during Chelsea’s training, has sidelined her from play and put her Olympic hopes in jeopardy.
Despite the media scrutiny, Kerr has largely remained silent on social media. However, she recently made a return by reposting a message from Chelsea celebrating the sale of 30,000 tickets for their upcoming match against Arsenal.
While Kerr’s Australian teammates have remained tight-lipped on the matter, she has received some support from notable figures, including Graham Arnold, the coach of the Australian men’s national team. Arnold expressed concern for Kerr’s well-being, stating, “My main concern is Sam herself… The poor kid has been through a really tough year with her injury at the World Cup and her ACL injury. Let’s give her some thoughts on herself, please.”
As Kerr faces these personal and professional challenges, she remains one of the most celebrated and influential figures in women’s football. Her upcoming trial and recovery from injury will undoubtedly continue to be topics of interest as 2024 progresses.
