The former player: 'I really wanted to carry on my rugby career'
Warning: This piece contains details of discriminatory comments and conduct
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an early conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.
At that time 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 happened," he explained to reporters.
"I hoped to carry on playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news came out that there were inquiries underway.
"This situation was challenging - I had to just accept the fate and understand that this entire situation is a lot bigger than me."
A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather enough evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's international games in 2014 and 2015, but was surprisingly overlooked for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told media he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within England camp," he said.
"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.
"It's something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"Over a extended period you just learn to think that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."
Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" 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 environment within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."
"We has given significant attention on inclusion and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both prior and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his experiences of racism and classism," it added.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a environment of inclusivity but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."
All Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on building inclusive environments, with its success tracked via individual reports and feedback.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.
"You be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the documentary about his experiences.
"We know it has had this impact on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's father Geoff passed away soon after the filming of the documentary, and his sibling died earlier this year.
Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the game more accessible.
His 12 Foundation aims to connect with children in under-served communities and support them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports coaching, guidance and nutrition education.
"My intentions are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to share their story then I'll persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.
"We have an responsibility to make the sport as great as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their own stories as well.
"I take the challenge by the opportunity and continue bearing this flag and continue carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.
"There are a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that the sport has the ability to change their lives, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored a try for the Barbarians on a return to previous team Northampton in November 2022
