Blowing the whistle on racial discrimination terminated my professional journey - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article includes details of racially offensive comments and conduct

Ex-England player Luther Burrell claims that going public to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby led his professional journey to an premature conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.

Then 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I have definitely had to end my career because of what went on," he told media outlets.

"I really hoped to carry on playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was difficult - I had to simply come to terms with the outcome and accept that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."

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

Burrell revealed to journalists he also faced prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in February 2014.

"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within England camp," he stated.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

Racism had become normalised in dressing rooms, in Burrell's experience.

"This is something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

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

Burrell explains he was eventually spurred to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

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

"We has given significant focus on diversity and diversity in the sport and a great deal of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his encounters of racism and classism," it added.

"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

All Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive environments, with its success monitored via individual reports and feedback.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to intervene and defend others from harmful behaviour.

"You be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the film about his experiences.

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

Burrell's dad Geoff died shortly after the production of the film, and his sibling died earlier this year.

Burrell, who was raised on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the sport more open.

His charitable organization works to reach young people in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports training, guidance and nutrition education.

"My intentions are pure, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is willing to tell their experience then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.

"Everyone involved have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their own stories as well.

"I take the bull by the horns and keep carrying this flag and keep carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of poverty and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to transform their lives, just as it transformed things for me."