Blowing the whistle on racial discrimination terminated my career - Burrell

Important note: This piece contains descriptions of racially offensive language and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell claims that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby led his career to an premature end.

In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the sport, showing Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.

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

"I wanted to carry on playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news came out that there were inquiries underway.

"That was challenging - I had to just come to terms with the fate and understand that this entire situation is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization 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 revealed to media he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his first game in 2014.

"I have had several traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

Racism had become normalised in dressing rooms, 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.

"During a period of time you just begin to believe that it's the norm and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."

Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an action plan for the professional game."

"We has placed significant attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both prior and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and classism," it added.

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

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

All England athletes, including youth squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.

"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.

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

Burrell's dad Geoff passed away soon after the filming of the film, and his sibling passed away recently.

Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the sport more open.

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

"My intentions are pure, I want to see the progress of the sport 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.

"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the longer I speak about it perhaps the more confident others will become about sharing their personal stories as well.

"I grab the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this flag and continue supporting this weight and accomplish what I can to create opportunities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.

"There's a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of poverty and I sincerely think that the sport has the potential to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."