Sounding the alarm on racism terminated my career - Luther Burrell

Warning: This piece contains details of racially offensive language and behaviour

FormerEngland centre Luther Burrell states that speaking out to expose racism in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early conclusion.

In a 2022 interview, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the game, showing digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.

At that time 34 and without a team, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been a handful of games with guest team the Barbarians.

"I've have definitely had to end my career because of what went on," he explained to reporters.

"I really hoped to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when news emerged that there were investigations going on.

"This situation was challenging - I had to simply accept the fate and understand that this whole situation is a lot bigger than me."

A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather sufficient evidence to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.

Burrell told media he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in February 2014.

"I've had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he stated.

"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."

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

"This is something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the problem that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.

"Over a period of time you just learn to believe that it's the standard and that is fine and that it's not malicious, but that's incorrect."

Burrell says he was eventually motivated to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."

The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an strategy for the elite level."

"The organization has placed significant attention on inclusion and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his experiences of racism and classism," it added.

"The organization are ongoing work with teams and partners in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but recognize this takes time and is an continuous effort."

All Premiership and PWR club now has in-person training on building welcoming cultures, with its effectiveness monitored via individual reports and feedback.

All England athletes, including youth squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to intervene and defend others from damaging behaviour.

"You 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 finished your career, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed 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 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 works to reach young people in under-served communities and support them succeed on and off the pitch with complimentary sports training, guidance and dietary education.

"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to share their story then I'll persist to fight that cause 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 confident fellow players will feel about discussing their own stories as well.

"I grab the bull by the opportunity and keep carrying this banner and keep supporting this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more appealing and more inclusive.

"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the ability to change their lives, just as it transformed things for me."