Sounding the whistle on racism ended my professional journey - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article contains details of discriminatory comments and behaviour

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

In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, showing digital communications 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 elite playing since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he told media outlets.

"I wanted to carry on playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were investigations underway.

"That was difficult - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and accept that this whole situation is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "likely correct", but stated it could not gather enough evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told media he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 appearances after his first game in 2014.

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

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

Racism had become accepted in dressing rooms, in Burrell's view.

"This is something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

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

Burrell says he was eventually spurred to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to 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 "a deeper look at the environment within the elite game and to the introduction of an action plan for the elite level."

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

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

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

All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from damaging behaviour.

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

"We know it has had this effect on you and finished your career, but in our view, you have achieved so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."

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

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 connect with children in under-served communities and support them thrive both on the field with free sports training, mentoring and dietary education.

"My motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if others is prepared to share their experience then I'll persist to advocate for that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.

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

"I need to grab the bull by the horns and keep carrying this banner and keep carrying this weight and do what I can to create opportunities and make the sport more appealing and more welcoming.

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