Blowing the whistle on racism ended my career - Burrell

Warning: This piece contains descriptions of discriminatory language and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racial discrimination in rugby union brought his career to an early end.

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

Then 34 and without a team, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been a handful of games with guest team the Barbarians.

"I've have definitely had to retire because of what occurred," he told reporters.

"I really hoped to carry on playing, naturally I did. I pursued 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 understand that this whole process is a lot bigger than me."

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

Burrell told media he also encountered discrimination within the England team environment, during a Test career that saw him win 15 appearances after his first game in 2014.

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

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

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

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

"During a extended period you just learn to believe that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell says he was eventually motivated to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's revelations had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an strategy for the professional game."

"The organization has given significant attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his encounters of racism and classism," it continued.

"We are continuing work with clubs and partners in the elite level to strive for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."

Every Premiership and PWR club now has in-person training on building welcoming environments, with its success monitored via individual reports and feedback.

All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.

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

"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 dad Geoff died soon after the production of the documentary, and his sister died earlier this year.

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

His 12 Foundation works to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive both on the field with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.

"My personal intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others 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 explained.

"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 take the bull by the opportunity and keep bearing this flag and continue carrying this weight and do what I can to create possibilities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely believe that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it did for me."