Allan Saint-Maximin has spoken out after saying his children were racially abused earlier this year in Mexico. The former Newcastle winger said he had no choice but to address it, while making clear that Club America were not to blame.
More than 159,000 people liked the Instagram post, including Newcastle team-mates Kieran Trippier and Joelinton. Club America issued a statement expressing "absolute solidarity" with Saint-Maximin and his family, and teammates later held up a "No to racism" banner before their game against Necaxa.
His response and the club's position
Speaking to the BBC, Saint-Maximin said: "Whatever your colour is, you don't have to accept this" and added that "hatred and discrimination have no place in our society". He described the incident as "some stuff happened with my kids in the school" and said he had to explain to them that what happened was not normal.
He also said: "It was not the fault of Club America." In his telling, the abuse came from "some random people" trying to attack his family, and he said that once it affected his children there were not many choices to take. That is the part worth keeping straight, because his anger was aimed at the abuse itself, not at the club around it.
What he said about family and football
Saint-Maximin added that he was "a bit sad about my son" and said that racism can happen in other places too, including France. The message was personal, but it was also public. "It was a difficult choice for me and my family," he said, "but I take my responsibility because I always say I will never accept stuff like this."
The wider point fits the way he has always spoken about football and loyalty. He said Newcastle is his "dream club" and that he watches every single game, while also saying they gave him what no one else did. He spent four years at Newcastle, the longest stint in his nomadic career, before joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.
He has also talked warmly about Lens, where he joined on a short-term deal in the second half of last season. Lens won the French Cup for the first time in their 120-year history and finished second in Ligue 1, which helps explain why he tends to speak about clubs in personal rather than polished terms.
The main takeaway is simple enough: Saint-Maximin wanted the racism addressed without turning it into a false accusation against Club America. The next step is not a transfer or a match, just whether the club and player can keep that line clear after the post that drew more than 159,000 likes.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
