Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said Sam Kerr had the club's “full support” after he was accused of racially harassing a police officer in London.
The Australia captain is scheduled to appear at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on February 3, 2025.
“Sam has our full support, and she knows it,” Hayes said.
“It's a difficult time for her. Of course I can't comment, you know that. I can say that I know she's not guilty and I don't want to do anything to put Sam in danger by talking about him.”
“That's why, I'm sure you appreciate that that's all I'm going to say on this. But she has our full support, she knows that, and it's really important for me to express that, it's something I really appreciate.”
“There are difficult moments, difficult times, and that is my role at this football club – to make sure I look after our staff – and I want to make it clear that Sam will be supported by me and by everyone.”
On January 21 of this year, Kerr was charged with “committing a serious racist offense under Article 4A.” [of the] A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: Public Order Act 1986.
They added: “The charge relates to an incident involving a police officer who was responding to a taxi fare complaint on 30 January 2023 in Twickenham.”
Kerr denied the charge during a pre-trial hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday.
The striker is currently sidelined after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the club's training camp in Morocco last January.
