Still fresh with pride from the Matildas’ inspirational World Cup campaign, Australians woke up last Wednesday morning to the news that captain and star striker Samantha Kerr had been charged for allegedly making a racially aggravated remark against a police officer in the UK. The news was met with widespread dismay – not just because a national icon had been accused of engaging in such conduct, but because she now faced the very real threat of prosecution.

24 hours later, Kerr’s hero status had been restored.