Blowing the alarm on racial discrimination cut short my professional journey - Burrell

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

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early end.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying digital communications and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.

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

"I have definitely had to end my career because of what happened," he told reporters.

"I wanted to carry on playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was difficult - I had to just come to terms with the outcome and accept that this whole process is a lot bigger than me."

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

Burrell told journalists he also faced discrimination within the England team environment, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in February 2014.

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

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

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

"It's something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the problem that I've personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

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

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

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

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

"The organization are continuing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a environment of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on building welcoming environments, with its success monitored via specific documentation and surveys.

All England players, including youth squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and protect others from damaging behaviour.

"You should be so pleased of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told 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 done so much. 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 died earlier this year.

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

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

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

"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more confident others will feel about discussing their personal stories as well.

"I grab the challenge by the opportunity and continue bearing this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to create possibilities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly believe that rugby has the potential to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."