MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Football Australia (FA) said on Wednesday it looked forward to Sam Kerr's return to the pitch after the national women's captain was found not guilty of racially abusing a British police officer after a dispute with a cab driver.

Kerr, who has Indian ancestry, called officer Stephen Lovell "stupid and white" after a drunken dispute two years ago. She was acquitted by a jury at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday after her lawyer argued the words were a comment on power and privilege.

"Sam has been a key figure in Australian football for many years, and we recognise the significant pressures that this matter has brought to Sam, Kristie, her family, and everyone involved, including the impact it’s had on the game," FA said in a statement.

Kristie Mewis is Kerr's partner and plays for Women's Super League club West Ham.

"Throughout this period, Football Australia has remained committed to supporting Sam and will continue to do so as she focuses on her footballing career, rehabilitation from injury and return to play."

The case prompted calls from some Australian pundits to strip Kerr of the Matildas' captaincy.

FA's statement made no mention of her future as captain but said the governing body had invested heavily in building behavioural standards and expectations, and that leadership came with added responsibilities "on and off the field".

"Football Australia will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter and we will continue to provide appropriate support for her moving forward," the statement added.

"We look forward to Sam’s return to the pitch and her continued contributions to both her club and the Matildas on the world stage."

Chelsea forward Kerr, one of the world's top female strikers, apologised in a statement for expressing herself "poorly" while denying she had intended to insult or harm anyone.

Australia's all-time top scorer with 69 goals has not played since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January 2024.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)