Blowing the alarm on racial discrimination terminated my career - Burrell

Warning: This piece includes descriptions of racially offensive comments and conduct

Ex-England player Luther Burrell claims that going public to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby led his professional journey to an premature end.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the sport, showing digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" he had been subject to while playing for Newcastle.

At that time 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with guest team the Barbarians.

"I have absolutely had to retire because of what occurred," he told reporters.

"I really wanted to continue competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when news emerged that there were inquiries going on.

"That was difficult - I had to simply accept the outcome and accept that this whole process is a lot more important than me."

A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "likely correct", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

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

"I've had multiple distressing experiences within the national team," he said.

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

Racism had become accepted 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 suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

"During a extended period you just learn to think that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."

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

The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"We has given considerable attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"We are continuing work with clubs and partners in the professional game to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Prem and women's rugby club now has in-person training on building inclusive cultures, with its success tracked via individual reports and surveys.

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

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

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

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

Burrell, who was raised on a social housing in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more open.

His 12 Foundation aims to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and support them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports training, mentoring and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.

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

"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep bearing this flag and keep carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely think that rugby has the ability to transform their lives, just as it did for me."