The former player: 'I wanted to carry on my rugby career'
Important note: This article contains descriptions of racially offensive language and conduct
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racism in rugby union brought his professional journey to an early end.
In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the sport, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.
"I've have definitely had to retire because of what occurred," he explained to reporters.
"I hoped to carry on playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when word emerged that there were investigations going on.
"That was difficult - I had to simply accept the outcome and accept that this whole situation is a lot bigger than me."
A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "likely correct", but said it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's international games in 2014 and 2015, but was surprisingly overlooked for their team for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell revealed to journalists he also encountered discrimination within the England team environment, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 caps after his first game in 2014.
"I have had multiple traumatic experiences within England camp," he said.
"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.
"It's something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"Over a extended period you just learn to believe that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."
Burrell explains he was eventually spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the elite game and to the introduction of an strategy for the professional game."
"We has placed considerable attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a great deal of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"The organization are continuing work with teams and partners in the elite level to strive for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this requires patience and is an continuous effort."
Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on building inclusive environments, with its success tracked via specific documentation and surveys.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to intervene and defend others from damaging behaviour.
"You be so proud of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film 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 father Geoff died shortly after the production of the film, and his sibling died recently.
Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more open.
His charitable organization aims to reach children in disadvantaged communities and support them succeed on and off the field with complimentary sports coaching, guidance and nutrition education.
"My motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll persist to advocate for that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for myself," he said.
"Everyone involved have an responsibility to make the game as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will feel about discussing their own stories as well.
"I need to grab the bull by the horns and continue carrying this flag and continue supporting this responsibility and do what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely think that the sport has the ability to transform their lives, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in November 2022
