Blowing the alarm on racism terminated my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article contains descriptions of discriminatory language and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to expose racism in rugby union 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 "comments" he had been subject to while playing for Newcastle.

Then 34 and out of contract, 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 went on," he explained to media outlets.

"I wanted to continue playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when news emerged that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was challenging - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and understand that this whole process is a lot more important than me."

A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather sufficient proof to categorically say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in 2014.

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

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

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

"It's something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

"Over a period of time you just begin to believe that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell says he was eventually spurred to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

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

"We has placed considerable focus on inclusion and inclusion in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it added.

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

All Prem and PWR club now has in-person training on building welcoming environments, with its effectiveness tracked via individual reports and feedback.

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

"You be so proud of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film about his experiences.

"I know it has had this impact on you and ended your career, but in our view, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

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

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

His charitable organization works to connect with children in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed on and off the pitch with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to tell their story then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.

"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will become about discussing their own experiences as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this flag and keep supporting this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.

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