The former player: 'I wanted to carry on playing'
Warning: This piece includes details of racially offensive comments and conduct
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that speaking out to reveal racial discrimination in rugby union led his career to an premature conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the sport, displaying Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "comments" he had been subject to while playing for Newcastle.
At that time 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.
"I have absolutely had to end my career because of what happened," he told reporters.
"I really wanted to continue playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it collapsed when word emerged that there were investigations going on.
"That was challenging - I had to simply accept the fate and accept that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body investigation in April 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.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014-15, but was controversially overlooked for their squad for the 2015 tournament
Burrell revealed to journalists he also encountered prejudice within the England team environment, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 appearances after his first game in February 2014.
"I've had multiple distressing experiences within the national team," he said.
"Certain instances of discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.
"This is something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the issue that I've myself experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a extended period you just begin to think 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 team-mate at Newcastle referred to 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 strategy for the professional game."
"The organization has given significant attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"We are continuing work with teams and partners in the elite level to strive for a culture of acceptance but recognize this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has in-person training on building inclusive cultures, with its success tracked via specific documentation and feedback.
All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "engaged observers" to intervene and protect others from harmful conduct.
"You should be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the documentary Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.
"I know it has had this effect on you and finished your playing days, but in our view, you have achieved so much. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's dad Geoff passed away shortly after the production of the documentary, and his sibling died earlier this year.
Burrell, who was raised on a social housing in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the sport more accessible.
His charitable organization aims to reach children in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive on and off the pitch with free sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.
"My personal intentions are pure, I want to see the progress of the sport and if others is willing to share their experience then I'll continue to advocate for that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.
"We have an responsibility to make the game as great as it can be and the more I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable fellow players will become about discussing their own experiences as well.
"I take the challenge by the horns and continue bearing this flag and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to create opportunities and make the game more attractive and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly believe that rugby has the ability to transform their futures, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored a try for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in late 2022
