Sounding the alarm on racial discrimination ended my career - Luther Burrell

Important note: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory comments and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that going public to expose racism in professional rugby led his professional journey to an premature conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.

Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I've have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he explained to reporters.

"I really wanted to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when news came out that there were investigations going on.

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

A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "likely correct", but said it could not collect sufficient proof to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists he also encountered discrimination within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in 2014.

"I've had several distressing experiences within the national team," he said.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."

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

"It's something that has been dressed up as banter and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

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

Burrell says he was eventually spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the professional game."

"The organization has placed considerable focus on diversity and diversity in the sport and a great deal of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it added.

"We are ongoing work with clubs and partners in the professional game to strive for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process."

All Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face training on creating inclusive environments, with its success monitored via individual reports and surveys.

All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in 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 impact on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's father Geoff passed away shortly after the production of the film, and his sister passed away recently.

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

His charitable organization aims to reach children in under-served communities and support them succeed both on the field with free sports training, mentoring and dietary education.

"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others is prepared to tell their experience then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.

"We have an obligation to make the sport as great as it can be and the more I speak about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will feel about sharing their own experiences as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the opportunity and continue carrying this banner and continue supporting this responsibility and accomplish what I can to create possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

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