Blowing the whistle on racism ended my career - Luther Burrell

Important note: This article includes details of racially offensive comments and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racism in professional rugby led his career to an premature conclusion.

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

At that time 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 definitely had to retire because of what went on," he explained to reporters.

"I wanted to carry on playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when news came out that there were inquiries going on.

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

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but said it could not gather sufficient proof to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists 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 several distressing experiences within England camp," he said.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

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

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

"Over a extended period you just begin to believe that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."

Burrell explains he was finally motivated to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

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

"The organization has placed significant focus on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work undertaken both prior and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it added.

"The organization are continuing work with teams and partners in the professional game to strive for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

All Premiership and PWR club now has face-to-face training on building welcoming environments, with its effectiveness tracked via individual reports and surveys.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to intervene and protect others from harmful conduct.

"You be so proud of what you have done," 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 eyes, you have done so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's dad Geoff died soon after the production of the film, and his sibling passed away earlier this year.

Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the game more open.

His 12 Foundation aims to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and support them succeed on and off the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just pursuing this for myself," he explained.

"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will feel about sharing their personal stories as well.

"I need to take the bull by the horns and keep carrying this banner and keep carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely believe that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."