The former player: 'I hoped to continue my rugby career'
Warning: This piece contains details of racially offensive comments and behaviour
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell says that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his career to an premature end.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, showing digital communications and remembering training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while representing 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 retire because of what went on," he told reporters.
"I hoped to continue playing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations going on.
"This situation was difficult - I had to simply accept the outcome and accept that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body report in 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but stated it could not gather sufficient evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was controversially overlooked for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told journalists he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 appearances after his first game in 2014.
"I've had several distressing experiences within England camp," he stated.
"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become accepted in team environments, in Burrell's view.
"This is something that has been dressed up as banter and that's been the problem that I've myself experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a extended period you just begin to believe that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's nonsense."
Burrell says he was finally motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and told him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the introduction of an strategy for the elite level."
"We has given significant attention on inclusion and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."
Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on creating welcoming environments, with its success monitored via specific documentation and feedback.
All England athletes, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.
"You be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the documentary 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 achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's dad Geoff passed away shortly after the filming of the documentary, and his sister passed away recently.
Burrell, who was raised on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the game more accessible.
His 12 Foundation works to connect with children in disadvantaged communities and help them succeed both on the pitch with free sports training, mentoring and nutrition education.
"My intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll continue to fight that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.
"Everyone involved have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it perhaps the more confident others will become about sharing their personal experiences as well.
"I need to grab the challenge by the horns and continue carrying this flag and keep supporting this weight and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.
"There are a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly believe that rugby has the potential to change their futures, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a return to previous team Northampton in late 2022
