“Enough is enough !”In a strong message published on X, Kylian Mbappé wanted to support his friend Mike Maignan, victim of new racist attacks while he faced Udinese with his team AC Milan. After hearing monkey cries, the athlete refused to continue the match, and several of his colleagues supported him and returned to the locker room, thus interrupting the match. Mad with rage at these new racist issues which have divided French football for months, the captain of the Blues Kylian Mbappé, who had already spoken out on this subject on numerous occasions, came out of the woodwork again: “You are far from being alone Mike Maignan. We are all with you. Always the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough! NO TO RACISM!”
On his social networks, Mike Maignan, who is also the goalkeeper of the Blues since the departure of Hugo Lloris, wanted to respond at length to his detractors, and did not hesitate to accuse of “complicity” all the opposing players who let it happen without saying a word, and who did not contest the words and gestures made by their supporters: “It was not the player who was attacked. It’s the man. He’s the father of the family. This isn’t the first time this has happened to me. And I’m not the first this has happened to. Today, an entire system must take responsibility: the perpetrators of these acts, because it is easy to act in a group, in the anonymity of a platform; the spectators who were in the stand, who saw everything, who heard everything, but who chose to remain silent, you are complicit; the Udinese club, which only spoke of an interruption of the match, as if nothing had happened, you are complicit; the authorities and the prosecutor, with everything that is happening, if you do nothing, YOU WILL ALSO BE COMPLICES.”
The Minister of Sports gets involved
Amélie Oudéa-CastéraMinister of Sports and National Education, took part in the controversy, and was keen to support the player: “Total support for Mike Maignan, victim of racist cries this evening during the meeting between Udinese and AC Milan. Admiration for his strong and essential gesture of leaving the pitch, followed by his teammates who supported him. Immense sadness that this could still happen in 2024. More than ever, we must fight racism. On our grounds and outside.” The French football federation also reacted, and gave its support to Mike Maignan.