Sounding the whistle on racial discrimination cut short my career - Burrell

Warning: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory language and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to reveal racism in rugby union led his professional journey to an premature end.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

At that time 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 absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he told media outlets.

"I wanted to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when news came out that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was challenging - I had to just accept the fate and accept that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."

A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not collect enough proof to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

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

"I have had several distressing experiences within England camp," 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 dressed up as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

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

Burrell says he was finally spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and told him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

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

"We has placed significant focus on diversity and inclusion in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it added.

"We are continuing work with teams and partners in the elite level to work for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

All Prem and women's rugby club now has in-person education on building inclusive cultures, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.

All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and defend others from damaging behaviour.

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

"We know it has had this impact on you and finished your playing days, but in our view, you have done so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."

Burrell's dad Geoff passed away soon after the production of the documentary, and his sibling passed away earlier this year.

Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the game more open.

His charitable organization aims to reach children in under-served communities and support them thrive both on the field with complimentary sports coaching, guidance and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport 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 myself," he said.

"We have an responsibility to make the game as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more comfortable fellow players will become about discussing their personal stories as well.

"I grab the challenge by the opportunity and keep carrying this banner and keep supporting this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

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