‘Sincere regret’: Sam Kerr to retain Matildas captaincy and join team in Sydney

Sam Kerr will face no further action over her run-in with London police, with the Matildas star to remain as captain of the national team after being hauled in front of the Football Australia board.

Kerr is also set to join her teammates in Sydney this week for the first time since suffering an ACL injury more than a year ago, having been granted leave by her club Chelsea to continue her rehabilitation with the Matildas.

Kerr and FA released a joint statement on Monday morning, in which the 31-year-old expressed “sincere regret” for her actions on a night out in January 2023, in which she was involved in a drunken dispute with a taxi driver and later charged with racially aggravated abuse against a police officer, who she called “stupid and white”.

While she was found not guilty after a seven-day trial which concluded earlier this year, there have been calls for Kerr to be stripped of the Matildas’ captaincy as punishment for bringing the team and the sport into disrepute – but after a meeting between FA’s board and Kerr, a review of the “full context” of the events that took place, and with input sought from various stakeholders, FA has decided any further punishment would be unwarranted.

The statement said Kerr’s behaviour had “implications” in relation to FA’s code of conduct, but stopped short of saying she had actually breached it.

“I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,” Kerr said.

“It was an incredibly difficult period for me, my family, my club, my teammates, and especially for the fans whose support means so much to us.

“I recognise that leadership means being mindful of our actions both on and off the pitch. I’m proud of the Matildas, the role I have played as a member of that team, and everything we stand for, and I’m committed to learning from this experience.