Sounding the whistle on racism cut short my career - Burrell

Warning: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory comments and behaviour

FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby led his professional journey to an premature end.

In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "jokes" 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've have definitely had to retire because of what happened," he told reporters.

"I hoped to carry on competing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were inquiries underway.

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

A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "on the balance of probability", but said it could not gather sufficient evidence to definitively 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 caps after his first game in February 2014.

"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," 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 disguised as humour and that's been the problem that I've personally experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

"During a period of time you just begin to think that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."

Burrell explains he was finally spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the elite game and to the introduction of an strategy for the professional game."

"The organization has given considerable attention on inclusion and inclusion 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 teams and partners in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."

Every Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face education on creating welcoming environments, with its success tracked via specific documentation and feedback.

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

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

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

Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the production of the documentary, and his sister passed away earlier this year.

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

His 12 Foundation aims to reach young people in under-served communities and help them succeed on and off the pitch with free sports training, mentoring and dietary education.

"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the progress of the sport and if others is willing to tell their story then I'll continue to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for myself," he said.

"We have an responsibility to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I talk about it perhaps the more confident others will feel about sharing their own experiences as well.

"I take the challenge by the horns and continue bearing this banner and keep carrying this weight and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more inclusive.

"There are a lot of disadvantaged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."