Sounding the alarm on racism ended my professional journey - Burrell

Important note: This article includes details of discriminatory language and conduct

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

In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the sport, showing Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

Then 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I've have absolutely had to end my career because of what occurred," he told media outlets.

"I wanted to carry on competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news came out that there were investigations underway.

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

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

Burrell told media he also encountered prejudice within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in 2014.

"I have had several traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.

"Certain instances of 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 dressed up as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

"Over a extended period you just learn to think that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to speak out 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 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 professional game."

"We has placed significant attention on inclusion and inclusion in the sport and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it added.

"The organization are ongoing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has in-person education on building welcoming environments, with its effectiveness monitored via individual reports and surveys.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to intervene and defend others from harmful conduct.

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

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

Burrell's father Geoff passed away shortly after the production of the film, and his sibling died recently.

Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in his hometown, maintains his work to make the game more accessible.

His charitable organization works to reach children in under-served communities and support them thrive on and off the pitch with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

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

"We have an responsibility to make the sport as great as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more confident others will become about discussing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the bull by the horns and keep bearing this flag and keep supporting this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to transform their futures, just as it did for me."