Blowing the alarm on racial discrimination cut short my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article contains details of discriminatory comments and conduct

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to expose racism in rugby union brought his career to an early conclusion.

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

Then 34 and without a team, 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 went on," he explained to reporters.

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

"That was difficult - I had to just accept the fate and understand that this whole process is a lot more important than me."

A rugby governing body investigation in 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "on the balance of probability", but said it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists he also faced prejudice 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.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

Racism had become accepted in team environments, in Burrell's view.

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

"Over a extended period you just begin to believe 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 "slave" 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 "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the professional game."

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

"We are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a culture of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Prem and PWR club now has in-person training on creating welcoming environments, with its success tracked via specific documentation and surveys.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from damaging conduct.

"You be so pleased of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the documentary Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.

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

Burrell's dad Geoff passed away shortly after the filming of the documentary, and his sister passed away recently.

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

His charitable organization works to connect with children in under-served communities and support them succeed on and off the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

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

"We have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the longer I talk about it perhaps the more comfortable others will become about sharing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this banner and continue carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.

"There are a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly believe that the sport has the ability to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."