Daily Times

SYDNEY: Australia’s Chef de Mission for the Paris Olympics Anna Meares said on Thursday that the Australian Olympic Committee would have the final say on whether Sam Kerr will be able to represent her country at this year’s Summer Games.

Matildas captain Kerr is set to face trial in Britain next year on a charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer in January 2023. She pleaded not guilty on Monday. Australia have already qualified for the women’s soccer tournament in Paris and Kerr would in normal circumstances be the first name on the team sheet.

Her participation was, however, already highly doubtful before the charge was made known this week as she has been sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury since January. Meares said although the Matildas had qualified, no players had yet been nominated by Football Australia.

“Like everyone else, we woke up to quite a shock in the news with Sam Kerr and with all respect to Sam Kerr and the process that’s in place we do need to let that run its course,” she told reporters in Sydney.

“The Matildas, I’m sure, will continue to do an incredible job with the stance that they take on representing Australia in the multicultural, diverse nature that we have as a country. “(Football Australia) will put forward their nominations and selections to us at the Australian Olympic Committee and from those nominations, we will then consider the selections to be formalised.”

Kerr, Australia’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 128 internationals, helped the Matildas to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago and the same stage of the World Cup on home soil last year.

Her Matildas team mate Lydia Williams sidestepped a question about whether Kerr should remain titular captain of the team pending the resolution of the court case.

“Sam is a longtime team mate and friend and we’re offering all the support that we can,” the goalkeeper said. “But it’s a legal proceeding that I can’t comment on.”

Emma Hayes, the manager of Kerr’s English team Chelsea, said on Wednesday that the striker had the London club’s “full support”. British media reported Kerr’s lawyers will attempt to have the charge thrown out in a hearing next month.