Sounding the whistle on racial discrimination terminated my professional journey - Burrell

Warning: This piece contains descriptions of racially offensive comments and behaviour

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racism in rugby union brought his professional journey to an premature end.

In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.

At that time 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been three appearances with guest team the Barbarians.

"I've have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he told media outlets.

"I really wanted to carry on competing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it collapsed when word emerged that there were investigations going on.

"This situation was difficult - I had to just come to terms with the fate and understand that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "on the balance of probability", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told media he also faced discrimination within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 appearances after his first game in February 2014.

"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.

"This is something that has been dressed up as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

"Over a extended period you just begin to think that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."

Burrell says he was finally motivated to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and told him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"The organization has placed considerable attention on inclusion and inclusion in rugby union and a substantial amount of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his encounters of racism and classism," it added.

"The organization are continuing work with teams and partners in the professional game to strive for a environment of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Prem and women's rugby club now has in-person training on building welcoming cultures, with its success tracked via specific documentation and surveys.

All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and defend others from harmful conduct.

"You be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.

"I know it has had this effect on you and ended your playing days, but in our view, you have done so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."

Burrell's dad Geoff died soon after the filming of the documentary, and his sister passed away earlier this year.

Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more accessible.

His charitable organization works to reach young people in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports training, guidance and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their story then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he said.

"We have an obligation to make the game as excellent as it can be and the longer I speak about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will feel about discussing their personal experiences as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the opportunity and keep bearing this banner and keep carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely believe that rugby has the ability to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."