Sounding the whistle on racism terminated my career - Luther Burrell

Important note: This article contains details of racially offensive comments and conduct

Ex-England player Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an early conclusion.

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

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

"I've have absolutely had to retire because of what occurred," he told reporters.

"I really wanted to carry on playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it collapsed when word came out that there were investigations going on.

"That was challenging - I had to just accept the outcome and accept that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."

A rugby governing body report in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they happened 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 said.

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

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

"This is something that has been dressed up as banter 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 begin to think that it's the norm and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."

Burrell says he was eventually spurred to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where chains would be placed."

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

"The organization has given significant attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his experiences of racism and classism," it continued.

"We are continuing work with clubs and partners in the elite level to strive for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."

Every Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face training on creating inclusive cultures, with its success monitored via specific documentation and surveys.

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

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

"We know it has had this effect on you and finished your career, but in our view, you have done so much. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's father Geoff passed away soon after the filming of the documentary, and his sister passed away earlier this year.

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

His charitable organization works to reach young people in under-served communities and help them succeed both on the field with free sports training, guidance and dietary education.

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

"Everyone involved have an responsibility to make the game as excellent as it can be and the longer I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable fellow players will feel about sharing their own experiences as well.

"I grab the challenge by the horns and continue bearing this banner and continue supporting this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of poverty and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it did for me."