Sounding the whistle on racial discrimination ended my professional journey - Luther Burrell

Warning: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory language and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell claims that going public to reveal racism in professional rugby led his professional journey to an early conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, 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 elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I have absolutely had to end my career because of what went on," he explained to reporters.

"I hoped to carry on playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it collapsed when news emerged that there were investigations going on.

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

A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but said it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell revealed to journalists he also faced prejudice within the England team environment, during a Test career that saw him win 15 appearances after his debut in February 2014.

"I have had several distressing experiences within England camp," he said.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."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 personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

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

Burrell says he was eventually motivated to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's revelations had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the introduction of an strategy for the elite level."

"We has given considerable focus on diversity and inclusion in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both prior and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"We are ongoing work with teams and partners in the professional game to work for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on building inclusive environments, with its effectiveness tracked via individual reports and feedback.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to intervene and protect others from harmful behaviour.

"You should be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the documentary about his experiences.

"I know it has had this effect on you and ended your playing days, but in our eyes, you have done so much. 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 was raised on a social housing in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more open.

His charitable organization aims to reach children in disadvantaged communities and support them succeed on and off the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is willing to tell their story then I'll persist to advocate for that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he said.

"We have an responsibility to make the game as excellent as it can be and the longer I talk about it perhaps the more comfortable fellow players will feel about sharing their personal experiences as well.

"I take the bull by the horns and keep carrying this flag and continue carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to create possibilities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."