French winger, Allan Saint-Maximin has revealed that he left Mexican club Club América after his children experienced racist abuse at school.

The 29-year-old said he felt it was important to speak out against discrimination when his family was affected.

Saint-Maximin, who now plays for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer, told BBC Sport that he would not accept such treatment regardless of a person’s colour. He had earlier shared a message on social media stating that hatred and discrimination have no place in society.

The player did not give specific details of the incidents but said something happened involving his children while they attended school in Mexico. He explained the situation to them and made clear that what they experienced was not normal.

Club América publicly supported Saint-Maximin and his family, and his teammates displayed a “No to racism” banner before a match. The winger stressed that he did not blame the club, its players or the Mexican people, describing his time there as one of the best periods for his family.

He said the decision to leave was difficult but necessary because the wellbeing of his children came first. After departing Mexico, Saint-Maximin had a short spell with Lens in France before choosing Charlotte FC, a move he described as one made with his family’s interests in mind.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper