Chelsea and Australia soccer player Sam Kerr is being hailed as a "national hero" by many Australians as the full details of the racial harassment charge she is facing in the United Kingdom have emerged. Kerr was charged with "racially harassing a police officer" during a "dispute about a taxi fare". However, the notoriously rowdy Australians have found a new love for the national team captain as it turned out that she had called a police officer a "stupid white b-stard" after vomiting in the back of a taxi.
In Australia, at least three senior politicians have spoken out in defense of Kerr. Furthermore, a petition has been started to put Kerr's likeness on a banknote. Kerr pled not guilty to the charge earlier this week. Next month, Kerr's legal team will seek to have the charge thrown out, citing "abuse of process". If they are unsuccessful, Kerr's case will go to trial next year.
Who Is Sam Kerr?
Sam Kerr will eventually retire as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Kerr began her career in her home nation of Australia, quickly becoming one of the best players in the Women's A-League. In 2013, she began playing year-round, joining American teams during the Australian offseason. Additionally, she would begin playing for the Australian national team at just 15 years old during just her second year of senior professional soccer.
In 2020, Kerr made a huge move to English powerhouse Chelsea, where she has played full-time ever since. She has scored 99 goals in 123 matches for the perennial English champions. Meanwhile, on the international stage, she has 69 goals in 128 appearances for Australia. However, she is currently indefinitely sidelined with an ACL tear she suffered in early January while training with the national team in Morocco. Australia still managed to qualify for the Olympics without Kerr. However, they may struggle to replicate their 4th place finish from the 2020 Games in Toyko.
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