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

Warning: This piece contains descriptions of discriminatory comments and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an premature conclusion.

In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, showing digital communications and remembering 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 a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I have definitely had to end my career because of what went on," he explained to media outlets.

"I hoped to continue playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were inquiries going on.

"This situation was challenging - I had to simply accept the fate and understand that this entire process is a lot bigger than me."

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

Burrell told media 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've had several distressing experiences within the national team," he said.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

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

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

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

Burrell says he was finally motivated to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where chains would be placed."

The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "a deeper look at the culture within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"We has given significant focus on inclusion and inclusion in the sport and a great deal of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it added.

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

All Prem and PWR club now has in-person education on building inclusive environments, with its success tracked via individual reports and feedback.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and protect others from harmful conduct.

"You should be so proud 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 ended your playing days, but in our view, you have achieved so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's dad Geoff passed away soon after the production of the film, and his sibling died recently.

Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the sport more open.

His charitable organization aims to connect with children in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed both on the field with complimentary sports coaching, guidance and nutrition education.

"My personal motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others is prepared to share their story then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.

"We have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I speak about it hopefully the more comfortable others will feel about sharing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the bull by the horns and continue carrying this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the sport more appealing and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the potential to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."