Sounding the whistle on racial discrimination cut short my professional journey - Burrell

Warning: This article contains details of discriminatory language and conduct

FormerEngland centre Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an early end.

In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

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

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

"I really wanted to continue competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news emerged that there were investigations going on.

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

A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "likely correct", but stated it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.

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

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

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

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

"It's something that has been dressed up as banter and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

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

Burrell says he was finally motivated to go public 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 governing body 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 considerable attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it added.

"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the professional game to work for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

All Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face training on creating inclusive environments, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.

All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to step in and protect others from damaging behaviour.

"You should be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the film 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 well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."

Burrell's father Geoff died soon after the filming of the documentary, and his sibling passed away recently.

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

His charitable organization works to reach children in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive both on the pitch with free sports training, 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 persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.

"We have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I speak about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will feel about discussing their own experiences as well.

"I need to grab the bull by the horns and keep carrying this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of disadvantaged young people 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."