‘Sam has rights’: Football Aus responds as Matildas coach blindsided by Kerr allegation

Football Australia boss James Johnson says superstar Matildas captain Sam Kerr “has rights” and there will be no moves on her leadership after shock revelations she had been charged by UK police for allegedly racially harassing a police officer last January.

Both Johnson and Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson were unaware of the charge against Kerr until reports emerged early on Tuesday morning, more than a year after the incident first occurred.

Kerr is set to face trial in England next January accused of the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in an alleged altercation over a taxi fare, after pleading not guilty in a London court where she appeared via video link on Monday.

Despite the incident occurring in January 2023, Johnson said he was in the dark and was careful not to make any assumptions given they were “serious allegations” while maintaining “there is no place for racism in our sport”.

“We’re trying to get to the bottom of it at the moment. We have our own questions we would like to know. We have got to find out what actually happened,” Johnson said in Adelaide, having woken up to the shock news.

“There is a process that is underway…and that process needs to run its course.

“I don’t want to get into any allegations. We have to understand what happened. They are serious allegations. It regards racism and there is no place for racism in our sport. At the same time Sam has rights, natural justice rights, procedural rights that she has to work her way through and we respect that.”

“We woke up to this morning. I was getting on the flight to Adelaide when I found out. So we have to establish the facts, get some answers before we have a view on what should be done as a next step.”

Johnson, who is yet