Sounding the alarm on racial discrimination cut short my career - Burrell

Warning: This piece includes details of discriminatory language and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racial discrimination in rugby union led his professional journey to an premature end.

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

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

"I have definitely had to end my career because of what happened," he explained to media outlets.

"I hoped to continue playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it collapsed when word came out that there were inquiries going on.

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

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

Burrell told journalists he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him win 15 appearances after his debut in February 2014.

"I've had several traumatic experiences within England camp," he said.

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

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

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

"During a period of time you just learn to think 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 go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where chains would be placed."

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

"We has placed considerable attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a great deal of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his encounters of racism and classism," it continued.

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

All Premiership and PWR club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive cultures, with its success tracked via individual reports and surveys.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to intervene and protect others from damaging behaviour.

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

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

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

Burrell, who was raised on a social housing in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the game more accessible.

His charitable organization works to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and support them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports training, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he said.

"We have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it perhaps the more comfortable others will feel about sharing their personal experiences as well.

"I need to take the challenge by the opportunity and continue bearing this banner and keep carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.

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