Matildas captain Sam Kerr will face trial in the UK after being charged over alleged racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “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.”
Police said she was charged on January 21 with a racially aggravated offence under Section 4A Public Order Act 1986.
Kerr appeared in court on Monday where she pleaded not guilty, according to local media. She will face trial in February 2025.
Football Australia said it was aware of the legal proceedings.
“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time. Our focus remains on supporting all our players, both on and off the field. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support as appropriate,” the governing body said in a statement.
Kerr, 30, is one of Australia’s most well-known sportspeople and the face of the Matildas. She is Australia’s highest scoring football player ever. Kerr plays for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in England.
During the FIFA Women’s World Cup, played in Australia and New Zealand last year, Kerr quickly rose to national prominence and is widely recognised as a national champion.
She is currently recovering from an ACL injury and is not expected to play in the upcoming Olympics in Paris.
Last year, she carried the Australian flag at the coronation of King Charles.