Chelsea forward Sam Kerr has the Women’s Super League club’s “full support”, manager Emma Hayes said on Wednesday (March 6) with the Australia captain set to face trial in the UK having been accused of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer last year.

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Chelsea forward Kerr, one of the world’s most recognisable women footballers and a sporting idol in her home nation, was charged on Jan. 21, almost a year after the incident was alleged to have occurred. The 30-year-old pleaded not guilty via video link at Kingston Crown Court on Monday (March 4).

“The charge relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a complaint involving a taxi fare on 30 January 2023 in Twickenham,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

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Kerr, who on the day before the incident scored a hat-trick against Liverpool in the FA Cup at Kingsmeadow, Chelsea women’s home ground, is due to appear in court in February next year.

The club did not comment on Kerr’s case at the time, but Hayes said she would be supported by her and “everyone else at Chelsea”.

British media reported Kerr’s lawyers will attempt to have the charge thrown out in a hearing next month.

Football Australia had been unaware of Kerr’s legal trouble, the governing body’s CEO James Johnson confirmed on Tuesday.

“We woke up to this this morning,” Johnson told reporters in Adelaide.

“Of course, it’s a very serious allegation. It regards racism and there’s no place for racism in our sport.

“At the same time Sam has rights, natural justice rights, procedural rights that she’s got to work her way through and we’re respectful of that.”

Kerr, Australia’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 128 appearances, has been sidelined since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at Chelsea training in January.

She has scored 99 goals in 128 matches for the London side, winning the league four times, the FA Cup three times and the League Cup twice.

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