Blowing the whistle on racism ended my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article includes descriptions of discriminatory language and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to expose racism in rugby union led his career to an premature conclusion.

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 representing Newcastle.

Then 34 and without a team, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

"I've have absolutely had to retire because of what went on," he explained to media outlets.

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

"That was challenging - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and understand that this entire process is a lot more important than me."

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

Burrell revealed to journalists he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 appearances after his first game in February 2014.

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

"Certain instances of 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 humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

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

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where chains would be placed."

The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the introduction of an strategy for the professional game."

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

"We are continuing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."

All Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive environments, with its effectiveness monitored via specific documentation and surveys.

All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from damaging conduct.

"You be so proud 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 playing days, but in our view, you have achieved so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's father Geoff passed away soon after the production of the documentary, and his sister passed away earlier this year.

Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in his hometown, continues his work to make the sport more open.

His 12 Foundation works to reach young people in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed both on the pitch with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My personal intentions are pure, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to tell their story then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just pursuing this for myself," he explained.

"We have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the longer I talk about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will feel about sharing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the bull by the horns and keep bearing this flag and continue carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to create possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

"There's a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of poverty and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it did for me."