Chelsea Women’s manager Sonia Bompastor expressed her support for Sam Kerr after the Australia captain was acquitted of racially aggravated harassment charges in a London court on Tuesday. Kerr, 31, was found not guilty of calling a British police officer “stupid and white” during an incident on January 30, 2023.
Following the verdict, Kerr issued a statement acknowledging the situation:
“While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone, and I am thankful that the jury unanimously agreed.”
Bompastor, addressing the media on Thursday, backed Kerr fully:
“Really happy for her… Since I joined Chelsea, I’ve gotten to know Sam as a player and as a person, and I was really surprised to see her involved in this.”
Chelsea confirmed that no disciplinary action would be taken, with Bompastor stating, “Sam made a statement, she apologised, and I think that is enough.”
Football Australia also welcomed the verdict, stating they would speak with Kerr to reflect on the incident.
Meanwhile, Kerr remains sidelined as she continues her rehabilitation from a knee injury, with Bompastor confirming she is “progressing in the right direction”, though no exact return date has been set.
