Blowing the whistle on racial discrimination ended my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory comments and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an early end.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and recalling 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 three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.

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

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

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

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "on the balance of probability", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell revealed to journalists he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 caps after his first game in 2014.

"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within England camp," he stated.

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

Racism had become normalised 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 myself experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

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

Burrell says he was eventually spurred to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where chains would be placed."

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

"The organization has placed significant attention on inclusion and inclusion in the sport and a great deal of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"We are continuing work with teams and stakeholders in the professional game to work for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."

Every Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on building inclusive environments, with its success tracked via specific documentation and feedback.

All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to intervene and protect others from harmful behaviour.

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

"We know it has had this effect on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."

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

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

His 12 Foundation aims to connect with children in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive on and off the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My motivations are pure, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is willing to share their experience then I'll continue to advocate for that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.

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

"I grab the challenge by the opportunity and continue bearing this flag and keep supporting this weight and do what I can to create possibilities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that rugby has the ability to transform their lives, just as it transformed things for me."