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Football commentator Phil Moss says debate around Sam Kerr’s captaincy is a ‘premature’ following allegations of racial abuse coming to light.
The Matildas captain allegedly called a London Police officer a “stupid while b*****d” during a taxi fare dispute, as reported by UK newspapers.
Kerr was charged with and denies she racially abused the police officer during the incident in Twickenham in January last year.
On Monday, Kerr fronted a London court and pled not guilty to the charges.
Australian Football commentator Phil Moss says these charges caught him by surprise and wasn’t something he “saw coming”.
“Very strange, the circumstances around it. The incident allegedly happened over 12 months ago and then the charges were laid and there was no news of it for over a month,” he said..
“If you talk big picture stuff without knowing the facts, I'd hate to see something like this tarnished what has otherwise been an exemplary playing and leadership, role modelling career from Sam. Not just for the Matildas, but for women's sports and sports in general. She transcends the round ball code.
“If she's said what's alleged to have been said, then she's going to have to face the music in one way, shape or form.
“I've heard some politicians come out over the last couple of days and say they've been called a lot worse. But, it certainly doesn't excuse a comment like that if it's been made and I have to stress that because it's innocent until proven guilty in my book.”
The case is set to be heard in a four-day criminal trial in February next year.
On Tuesday, Football Australia came out and said Kerr had failed to inform them of the charges. This has led to debate and discussion surrounding Kerr’s captaincy of the Matildas.
Moss believes this discussion is redundant given her current unavailability for the Australian side.
“Talk of stripping her of the captaincy and all that sort of stuff is premature and it's really a non-argument at the moment," he said.
“She's injured and she's probably going to miss the Olympic Games as well with that ACL that she's rehabbing from now.
“But certainly she's done a lot more good than harm for sport in general, women's sport.”
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