Blowing the whistle on racism cut short my career - Burrell

Warning: This article includes details of discriminatory language and conduct

Ex-England centre Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, showing Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed 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 have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he explained to reporters.

"I wanted to carry on competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was difficult - I had to simply accept the fate and understand that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."

A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but said it could not gather enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

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

"I've had several distressing experiences within the national team," he stated.

"Certain instances of discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."

Racism had become normalised 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 myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.

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

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

The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"The organization has placed significant attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work completed both prior and after Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.

"We are continuing work with teams and partners in the professional game to work for a culture of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and PWR club now has face-to-face education on creating inclusive environments, with its effectiveness monitored via specific documentation and feedback.

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

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

"I know it has had this impact on you and finished your career, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the filming of the film, and his sister died earlier this year.

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

His charitable organization works to connect with children in under-served communities and help them succeed both on the field with complimentary sports training, mentoring and dietary education.

"My intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is willing to share their experience then I'll persist to advocate for that cause because I'm not just pursuing 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 feel about discussing their own experiences as well.

"I grab the challenge by the opportunity and keep bearing this banner and continue supporting this responsibility and do what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of poverty and I sincerely believe that rugby has the potential to transform their futures, just as it did for me."