The former player: 'I really wanted to carry on playing'
Important note: This piece contains details of racially offensive language and conduct
Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racism in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an premature conclusion.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.
At that time 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.
"I have absolutely had to retire because of what happened," he explained to reporters.
"I hoped to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were inquiries going on.
"That was challenging - I had to just come to terms with the fate and accept that this entire situation is a lot bigger than me."
A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "likely correct", but stated it could not collect sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was surprisingly overlooked for their team for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell told journalists he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 appearances after his debut in February 2014.
"I've had multiple distressing experiences within the national team," he stated.
"Some discrimination and some just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become accepted in dressing rooms, in Burrell's view.
"It's something that has been dressed up as banter and that's been the problem that I've personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"Over a extended period 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 motivated to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and told 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 professional level and to the implementation of an action plan for the professional game."
"We has placed considerable focus on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"We are ongoing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a culture of inclusivity but recognize this requires patience and is an continuous effort."
All Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on creating welcoming environments, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.
All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful conduct.
"You should be so pleased of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the film Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.
"We know it has had this effect on you and ended your career, 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 passed away soon after the filming 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 charitable organization aims to reach children in under-served communities and help them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.
"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if others is willing to share their story then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," 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 comfortable fellow players will feel about discussing their own stories as well.
"I grab the challenge by the horns and keep bearing this banner and keep carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to create opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more welcoming.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I sincerely believe that rugby has the ability to transform their futures, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored a try for the Barbarians on a comeback to former club Northampton in November 2022
