France international Allan Saint-Maximin says he decided to leave Club América after his children experienced racist abuse at school in Mexico.
The 29-year-old, who now plays for Charlotte FC, said the experience convinced him that speaking against discrimination was more important than remaining silent, especially when his family was affected.
“Whatever your colour is, you don’t have to accept this,” Saint-Maximin told BBC Sport on Friday.
The winger had previously addressed the issue publicly in an Instagram post in January, writing that “hatred and discrimination have no place in our society.”
The post attracted more than 159,000 likes, with former Newcastle United teammates Kieran Trippier and Joelinton among those showing their support.
Saint-Maximin did not disclose exactly what happened to his children, but said “some stuff happened with my kids in the school” while he was playing for Club América.
“I explained to the kids what happened was not normal and they knew already,” he said. “They were not really happy about that.”
He admitted the situation was particularly painful because it involved his family, although he stressed that discrimination is not limited to one country.
“I was a bit sad about my son, but in every place there is these type of things, even in France, the country where I am from,” he said. “As I said to them, it’s something they don’t have to accept.”
Club América backed the player and his family, while his teammates displayed a “No to racism” banner before their match against Necaxa.
Saint-Maximin, however, made clear that his departure was not intended as an attack on the Mexican club.
“It was not the fault of Club América,” he said. “I have nothing against them, the players or the Mexican people. I love the club. It was one of the best places I’ve been with my family.”
But as a father of four, he said protecting his children left him with little room for compromise.
“When this affects your kids there are not many choices to take. It was a difficult choice for me and my family, but I take my responsibility because I always say I will never accept stuff like this,” he said.
He said taking a stand against racism outweighed the potential impact on his career.
“It was important to show to people, especially in my situation, that I can lose a lot of things, but I will never accept this,” he said.
After leaving Mexico, Saint-Maximin moved to Lens on a short-term contract, helping the club secure its first French Cup in 120 years and finish runners-up in Ligue 1.
Several offers arrived during the summer, but the winger ultimately opted to join Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC, saying his family played a major role in the decision.
“My family have always followed me to every single place. So this time was more of a family choice,” he said.
At Charlotte, Saint-Maximin has been reunited with former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith and is targeting a lasting impact at the club while helping his teammates develop.
He also wants to entertain fans and continue expressing himself through his creative style.
