Peter FitzSimons has called on Football Australia for Sam Kerr to resign as captain of the Matildas after she was accused of racially abusing a police officer.
Kerr, 30, is said to have called a police officer a ‘stupid white cop’ during a drunken night out in Twickenham, London in January 2023.
The football superstar has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a four-day trial is scheduled for February next year.
The alleged incident was sparked by a dispute over a taxi fare before Kerr allegedly used abusive, threatening or insulting words which caused PC (Police Officer) Lovell alarm or distress.
FitzSimons addressed the allegations in a newspaper op-ed Sydney Morning Herald On Thursday he said if Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins had been accused of the same crime he would have been sacked immediately.
Sam Kerr, 30, allegedly called a police officer a ‘stupid white cop’ during a drunken night out in Twickenham, London in January 2023
‘Maybe she’ll come back from this. But at this point the FA must sideline her while the rest of us – in the absence of any explanation from Kerr – must stare in incomprehensible wonder at how this happened,” he wrote.
The former Wallaby said captaining a national team is an “ambassadorial role of great importance” that can only be fulfilled by athletes who represent national values and who “enjoy the full confidence of their sporting federation.”
“At this point, neither condition has been met,” FitzSimons said.
‘As for enjoying the trust of the lovely FA, how can they cut her any slack? She has known about these allegations for six weeks and has not told them, completely blowing them out of the water.”
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson revealed on Tuesday that he, like Football Australia, was unaware of the alleged incident involving his captain until it was made public.
A leading Australian sports agent previously told Daily Mail Australia that Kerr’s failure to inform the FA of the allegations could be a breach of her contract.
In the first half of his piece, FitzSimons talked about how, of Australia’s top 100 athletes, Kerr would have been the least likely sports star to be accused of such an offence.
Peter FitzSimons has called on Football Australia for Sam Kerr to resign as captain of the Matildas after she was accused of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer
Kerr is seen with her fiancé Kristie Mewis
He said that because she was gay, of ethnic origin and participated in a diverse sport such as football, she was “least likely to get bruised by a taxi driver.”
FitzSimons called on Kerr to give her account of what happened, if she was legally able to do so, so her Australian fans at home can “get an idea”.
He said the Matildas star’s reputation would now “remain under a cloud”.
Kerr has been charged with intentionally causing racially aggravated intimidation, alarm or distress to the male PC under section 31(1)(b) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
If convicted next year, the Australian captain faces up to two years in prison.
Kerr was summoned by postal request to make his first appearance at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on February 1. The case was then transferred to Kingston Crown Court.
Wearing a white T-shirt under a black suit jacket as she appeared via video link, she spoke only to confirm her identity and to enter a not guilty plea to the charges.
Kerr was told she was required to take part in a four-day trial, scheduled for February next year, in which two police officers are expected to testify.
A hearing will take place on April 26, at which her defense is expected to seek to dismiss the case, claiming an abuse of process.
Judge Judith Elaine Coello said she understood Kerr’s defense would be that she did not intend to cause alarm, intimidation or fear to the police officer and that her slur was not racially motivated.
Kerr was summoned by postal request to make his first appearance at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on February 1. The case was then transferred to Kingston Crown Court.