Asked when that appropriate time would be,FA offered no further comment.
Since she is only two months removedfrom suffering an ACL injury,there is no prospect of Kerr returning to the field for club or country for at least another six months,which means there is technically nothing for FA to stand her down from. It is also unlikely she will tag along for the Paris Olympics as a member of staff,or to provide support to other players,due to the smaller number of accreditations offered to football teams by the IOC compared to tournaments run by FIFA.
As to whether Kerr should remain as skipper of the Matildas,or if she should be removed as punishment for keeping her employers in the dark,coach Tony Gustavsson sidestepped those questions on Tuesday.
Former Socceroos captain and Stan Sport pundit Craig Foster believes she would have probably been stripped of the captain’s armband already if she was fit to play because of the seriousness of the accusations against her.
“It’s definitely an open question,” Foster said on theToday show.
“The fact that she is not eligible for selection at the moment means that that kind of has been avoided. If she was open now and available for selection,I think you’d have to answer that question - Football Australia would certainly have to,and arguably,the answer would have to be yes.
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“Contractually,there’s this no-fault clauses,which say,once that occurs,players are very commonly stood down. Sam will avoid that for a period of time,but the question is going have to be answered eventually.”
FA is offering Kerr support,as is players’ union Professional Footballers Australia,whose co-chief executive Kate Gill played alongside her with the Matildas and at A-League club Perth Glory.
“Importantly,Sam has pleaded not guilty and the matter will now be determined by the courts,” Gill said.
“Sam has made,and continues to make,an enormous contribution to Australian football and the broader country. Regardless of all of her achievements,she is a person first and foremost and,like all of our members,the PFA will ensure she is supported.
“Sam is entitled to a fair hearing before the courts. Attempts to prejudge matters of such a serious nature have historically had a devastating impact on the lives of athletes.”
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