The former player: 'I really hoped to carry on my rugby career'
Warning: This piece contains details of discriminatory comments and conduct
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racism in professional rugby led his career to an premature conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while representing 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 end my career because of what went on," he explained to media outlets.
"I hoped to continue competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were investigations underway.
"That was difficult - I had to just come to terms with the fate and understand that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body investigation in 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but stated it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014-15, but was controversially overlooked for their team for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell revealed to media he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.
"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become normalised in dressing rooms, in Burrell's view.
"This is something that has been dressed up as humour and that's been the problem that I've personally suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a extended period you just learn to think that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."
Burrell says he was finally motivated to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "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 introduction of an action plan for the professional game."
"We has placed considerable focus on diversity and inclusion in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his experiences of racism and classism," it added.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the professional game to strive for a culture of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."
Every Prem and PWR club now has in-person training on creating welcoming cultures, with its success monitored via individual reports and feedback.
All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to step in and protect others from harmful behaviour.
"You should be so pleased of what you have done," 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 career, but in our eyes, you have achieved so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."
Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the filming of the documentary, and his sibling passed away recently.
Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the sport more open.
His charitable organization aims to reach children in under-served communities and help them thrive on and off the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.
"My personal intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others is willing to share their experience then I'll persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he said.
"Everyone involved have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it hopefully the more confident others will feel about sharing their personal experiences as well.
"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep bearing this banner and keep supporting this responsibility and accomplish what I can to create opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that rugby has the potential to change their lives, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a comeback to former club Northampton in late 2022
