Sounding the whistle on racism cut short my career - Luther Burrell

Important note: This article contains descriptions of racially offensive comments and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his career to an early conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the sport, displaying Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.

At that time 34 and without a team, Burrell's only professional rugby 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 hoped to continue playing, of course I did. I sought that, and it fell through when news came out that there were investigations underway.

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

A rugby governing body investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not collect sufficient evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.

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

"I've had multiple distressing experiences within England camp," he stated.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just old-school mentality that's really inappropriate."

Racism had become normalised in dressing rooms, in Burrell's experience.

"This is something that has been dressed up as humour and that's been the problem that I've personally suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

"During a period of time you just begin to think that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."

Burrell explains he was finally spurred to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where chains would be placed."

The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "a deeper look at the culture within the elite game and to the introduction of an strategy for the elite level."

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

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

All Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive environments, with its effectiveness tracked via individual reports and surveys.

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

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

"We know it has had this impact on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."

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

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

His charitable organization aims to reach children in under-served communities and help them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports training, guidance and dietary education.

"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is willing 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.

"We have an responsibility to make the game as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it perhaps the more comfortable others will become about discussing their own stories as well.

"I need to grab the challenge by the horns and continue bearing this flag and keep supporting this weight and do what I can to create opportunities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.

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