Aussie NBA great Andrew Bogut criticizes Sam Kerr for alleged racial abuse

NBA great Andrew Bogut has used a Matildas protest to hit out at Sam Kerr after she was charged with the alleged racially aggravated harassment of London police officer.

Daily Mail exclusively revealed the Chelsea striker appeared in court accused of using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to an officer during an incident in Twickenham, southwest London, on January 30 last year.

The 30-year-old, who wore a white T-shirt under a black suit jacket as she appeared at Kingston Crown Court via videolink, spoke only to confirm her identity and to enter a not guilty plea to the charge.

She was told she was obliged to attend a four-day trial, scheduled for next February, during which two police officers are expected to give evidence.

Kerr and the Matildas took a defiant stand against racism in 2021, linking arms and posing with an Aboriginal flag ahead of their match against New Zealand.

'We're very proud of it,' said Kerr said at the time.

'We spoke a lot about it as a team. We wanted to do something that was important to us and show unity within our group.'

After the allegations against Kerr emerged on Tuesday, Bogut took to social media to comment on the situation.

'The linking of arms sure worked well,' he posted to X, alongside news headlines about the Matildas's protest and the fresh allegations against Kerr.

Meanwhile, Judge Judith Elaine Coello said it was understood that Kerr's defence would be that her intention was not to upset the policeman.

'I understand that the defence is that she didn't intend to cause alarm, harassment or distress to the officer, [her behaviour] did not amount to it and it was not racially aggravated,' the judge asked Kerr's barrister, Grace Forbes.

The charge comes as