Blowing the alarm on racial discrimination ended my professional journey - Luther Burrell

Important note: This piece contains details of discriminatory comments and conduct

FormerEngland centre Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an premature end.

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

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

"I have definitely had to end my career because of what went on," he told reporters.

"I really wanted to continue playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news came out that there were inquiries underway.

"That was difficult - I had to just accept the outcome and understand that this entire situation is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell told journalists he also encountered prejudice within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him earn 15 appearances after his first game in 2014.

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

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.

"This is something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the problem 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 norm and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."

Burrell says he was eventually 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 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 professional level and to the introduction of an strategy for the professional game."

"We has given considerable attention on diversity and inclusion in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"We are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the professional game to work for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on creating welcoming environments, with its success tracked via individual reports and surveys.

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

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

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

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

Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more accessible.

His 12 Foundation aims to connect with children in under-served communities and help them thrive on and off the pitch with free sports training, guidance and nutrition education.

"My intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others is prepared to tell their story then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.

"We have an obligation to make the game as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it perhaps the more confident others will feel about discussing their own stories as well.

"I take the bull by the horns and continue bearing this banner and keep carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of poverty and I honestly believe that the sport has the potential to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."