The former player: 'I really wanted to continue my rugby career'
Warning: This piece contains descriptions of racially offensive comments and behaviour
Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his career to an premature conclusion.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying digital communications and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been subject to while representing 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 happened," he told media outlets.
"I wanted to carry on competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when news came out that there were inquiries going on.
"This situation was challenging - I had to just come to terms with the fate and accept that this entire process is a lot bigger than me."
A rugby governing body investigation in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "on the balance of probability", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell started all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was controversially overlooked for their team for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell revealed to journalists he also encountered discrimination within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 appearances after his debut in February 2014.
"I've had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.
"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become accepted in dressing rooms, in Burrell's view.
"It's something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"During a extended period you just begin to believe that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."
Burrell says he was finally motivated to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where chains would be placed."
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 strategy for the elite level."
"We has placed considerable attention on inclusion and inclusion in the sport and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it added.
"The organization are ongoing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level 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 in-person education on building inclusive environments, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and feedback.
All England players, including youth squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to intervene and defend others from damaging 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.
"We know it has had this impact on you and ended your playing days, but in our view, you have achieved so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's dad Geoff died shortly after the production of the documentary, and his sister passed away recently.
Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the sport more open.
His 12 Foundation aims to connect with young people in under-served communities and support them succeed on and off the field with complimentary sports training, guidance and dietary education.
"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the game and if others is prepared to share their story then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.
"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I talk about it perhaps the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their own stories as well.
"I take the bull by the horns and continue bearing this banner and continue carrying this weight and do what I can to create possibilities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.
"There are a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that rugby has the ability to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in late 2022
