Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has declared that Sam Kerr's apology is sufficient following the striker's recent court case, confirming the club will not pursue any further disciplinary action.
The 31-year-old Australian international was found not guilty on Tuesday of causing racially aggravated harassment after an incident where she called a Metropolitan Police officer "stupid and white" during an altercation in Twickenham on January 30, 2023.
The incident occurred when Kerr and her partner Kristie Mewis were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver. The driver had complained about their refusal to pay cleaning costs after Kerr became ill in the vehicle, and Mewis had allegedly damaged the rear window. During the ensuing confrontation, Kerr, who claimed she and her partner feared for their lives, engaged in an expletive-laden exchange with PC Stephen Lovell. While Kerr acknowledged using the words "stupid and white," she maintained that it did not constitute a racial offense.
Following the verdict, Kerr issued an apology "for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening." Bompastor, who succeeded Emma Hayes as Chelsea's manager in May, expressed surprise at Kerr's involvement in the court case, stating, "Who she is doesn't reflect what I heard in the court and what I was reading in the newspapers."
The Chelsea manager offered a more personal perspective on Kerr's character, describing her as "a really shy person" who "doesn't like to be in the light" and prefers to maintain a quiet life. Bompastor revealed she had maintained contact with Kerr throughout the trial, emphasizing the club's supportive stance: "Everyone can make mistakes and that's what you learn from and that's how you move forward."
Kerr, who joined Chelsea in 2019, is currently sidelined due to a serious knee injury sustained during a winter training camp in January 2024. While Bompastor indicated it was "difficult to give a precise time frame" for her return, she noted that the striker is "progressing well" in her recovery.
Chelsea currently maintains a commanding seven-point lead at the top of the Women's Super League and remains in contention for multiple titles, including the Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. Bompastor concluded her remarks by reinforcing the club's unity: "We are family and we were really supporting and I'm really glad the verdict was positive and now she can move forward."
