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

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

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell claims that going public to expose racial discrimination in rugby union brought his career to an premature conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the sport, showing digital communications and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been subject to while playing for 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've have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he told reporters.

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

"That was difficult - I had to just accept the outcome and understand that this entire situation is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell revealed to media he also faced prejudice within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 caps after his first game in 2014.

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

"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."

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

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

"During a period of time you just begin to think that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."

Burrell says he was finally motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the professional level and to the introduction of an action plan for the professional game."

"We has placed significant focus on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and partners in the elite level to work for a environment of inclusivity but recognize this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

All Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on creating inclusive cultures, with its success monitored via specific documentation and feedback.

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

"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.

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

Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the filming of the documentary, and his sister died earlier this year.

Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in his hometown, continues his work to make the game more accessible.

His charitable organization aims to connect with young people in under-served communities and help them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.

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

"We have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the longer I talk about it hopefully the more comfortable fellow players will become about discussing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the bull by the horns and keep carrying this flag and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more attractive and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of poverty and I sincerely believe that the sport has the ability to change their lives, just as it did for me."