Burrell: 'I hoped to carry on playing'
Warning: This piece includes details of racially offensive language and behaviour
Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racism in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an premature conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "jokes" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, 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, of course I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were investigations going on.
"This situation was challenging - I had to just accept the outcome and understand that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body investigation in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but stated it could not gather sufficient evidence to categorically say they happened 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 tournament
Burrell told media he also encountered prejudice within the England team environment, during a international career that saw him win 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I've had several traumatic experiences within England camp," he said.
"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality 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 myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a extended period you just learn to believe that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."
Burrell says he was eventually spurred 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 chains would be placed."
The rugby authority said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the professional level and to the introduction of an strategy for the elite level."
"The organization has given significant attention on diversity and inclusion in the sport and a substantial amount of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"We are ongoing work with teams and partners in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but recognize this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
All Premiership and PWR club now has face-to-face education on building welcoming cultures, with its effectiveness monitored via specific documentation and feedback.
All England players, including age-grade squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to step in and protect others from damaging behaviour.
"You be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce said to 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 much. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's dad Geoff died shortly after the production of the documentary, and his sibling passed away earlier this year.
Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more accessible.
His charitable organization works to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports coaching, guidance and dietary education.
"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their story then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just pursuing this for myself," he said.
"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I talk about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will become about discussing their personal stories as well.
"I take the bull by the horns and continue bearing this banner and keep carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the potential to change their futures, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored a try for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in late 2022
