Blowing the whistle on racism ended my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This article contains details of racially offensive language and behaviour

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early end.

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

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

"I've have definitely had to end my career because of what happened," he told reporters.

"I really hoped to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations underway.

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

A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather sufficient evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell revealed to media he also faced discrimination within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in February 2014.

"I've had several traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.

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

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

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

"Over a period of time you just learn to believe that it's the norm and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."

Burrell says he was finally spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the professional level and to the introduction of an action plan for the elite level."

"We has given significant attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it continued.

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

Every Prem and PWR club now has in-person training on building inclusive environments, with its success monitored via specific documentation and feedback.

All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to intervene and defend others from harmful conduct.

"You be so proud of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the documentary about his experiences.

"We know it has had this effect on you and ended your career, but in our eyes, you have done so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."

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

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

His 12 Foundation works to reach children in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive both on the field with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My personal intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to share their story then I'll persist to advocate for that cause 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 talk about it perhaps the more comfortable fellow players will become about sharing their personal experiences as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this banner and continue supporting this weight and do what I can to create possibilities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.

"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 transformed things for me."