Sounding the alarm on racial discrimination ended my career - Luther Burrell

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

FormerEngland centre Luther Burrell claims that going public to expose racial discrimination in rugby union brought his career to an early conclusion.

In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying digital communications and recalling training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with guest team the Barbarians.

"I have absolutely had to retire because of what occurred," he told reporters.

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

"This situation was difficult - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and understand that this entire process is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but stated it could not collect enough proof to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

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

"I've had several traumatic experiences within England camp," he stated.

"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."

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

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

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

Burrell explains he was finally motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."

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

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

"We are ongoing work with clubs and partners in the professional game to work for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."

Every Premiership and PWR club now has face-to-face education on building inclusive environments, with its success monitored via individual reports and surveys.

All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to step in and protect others from harmful behaviour.

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

"I know it has had this effect on you and ended your playing days, but in our eyes, you have done so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."

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

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

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

"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is willing to tell their story then I'll persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.

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

"I take the bull by the horns and continue carrying this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.

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