The former player: 'I hoped to carry on playing'
Important note: This piece includes descriptions of discriminatory comments and conduct
Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to reveal racism in professional rugby led his professional journey to an early conclusion.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" 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 guest team the Barbarians.
"I have absolutely had to retire because of what occurred," he told reporters.
"I wanted to continue competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when word emerged that there were investigations underway.
"This situation was difficult - I had to simply accept the fate and accept that this entire process is a lot bigger than me."
A rugby governing body investigation in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but said it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell started all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was controversially excluded for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told media he also faced prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I have had multiple distressing experiences within England camp," he said.
"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become accepted in team environments, in Burrell's experience.
"It's something that has been dressed up as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a period of time 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 eventually spurred to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."
The rugby authority said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an action plan for the elite level."
"The organization has placed significant attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it added.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to work for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has in-person training on creating inclusive cultures, with its success monitored via individual reports and surveys.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and protect others from damaging behaviour.
"You should 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.
"I know it has had this impact on you and ended your playing days, but in our view, you have done so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's dad Geoff passed away soon after the production of the film, and his sibling died recently.
Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more accessible.
His charitable organization aims to connect with young people in under-served communities and support them thrive both on the pitch with free sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.
"My personal motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is willing to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.
"We have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their personal stories as well.
"I grab the challenge by the opportunity and keep carrying this flag and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop opportunities 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 sincerely believe that the sport has the ability to change their futures, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a comeback to former club Northampton in November 2022
