Blowing the alarm on racism ended my career - Luther Burrell

Important note: This piece contains details of racially offensive comments and behaviour

Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racism in rugby union brought his professional journey to an early end.

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

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

"I've have definitely had to end my career because of what went on," he told media outlets.

"I hoped to continue playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations underway.

"This situation was difficult - I had to simply accept the outcome and accept that this entire process is a lot more important than me."

A sports organization report in 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but said it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell revealed to media he also faced prejudice within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in 2014.

"I've had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he stated.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

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

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

"Over a period of time you just learn to think that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."

Burrell says he was finally spurred to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

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

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

"The organization are continuing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a culture of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on creating inclusive cultures, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to intervene and defend others from damaging conduct.

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

"I know it has had this impact on you and ended 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 production of the film, and his sister passed away recently.

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

His charitable organization aims to connect with children in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports coaching, mentoring and nutrition education.

"My motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to tell their story then I'll persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he said.

"We have an obligation to make the game as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it perhaps the more comfortable others will become about sharing their own stories as well.

"I need to grab the challenge by the horns and keep bearing this banner and keep carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

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