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

Warning: This piece contains descriptions of discriminatory comments and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to expose racism in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early end.

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

Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.

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

"I hoped to continue playing, of course I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word came out that there were inquiries underway.

"This situation was challenging - I had to just come to terms with the fate and accept that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."

A rugby governing body investigation in 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but said it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in February 2014.

"I've had several traumatic experiences within England camp," he said.

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

Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's view.

"It's something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the problem that I've personally suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

"During a period of time you just begin to believe that it's the norm and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" 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 environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"The organization has placed significant focus on diversity and inclusion in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it added.

"We are ongoing work with teams and stakeholders in the professional game to strive for a environment of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an continuous effort."

Every Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive cultures, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and feedback.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and protect others from damaging behaviour.

"You should be so pleased of what you have accomplished," 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 done so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."

Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the filming of the documentary, and his sister died earlier this year.

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

His charitable organization aims to reach young people in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive on and off the field with free sports coaching, guidance and nutrition education.

"My intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is willing to tell their story then I'll continue to fight that fight because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.

"We have an obligation to make the sport as great as it can be and the longer I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable others will become about discussing their own stories as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this flag and keep supporting this responsibility and do what I can to create possibilities 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 believe that rugby has the ability to change their futures, just as it did for me."