The former player: 'I really hoped to continue playing'
Warning: This piece includes details of discriminatory language and behaviour
Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that going public to expose racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an early conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the sport, displaying digital communications and remembering training ground "comments" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.
At that time 34 and without a team, Burrell's only elite playing since has been three appearances with guest team the Barbarians.
"I have absolutely had to end my career because of what happened," he explained to reporters.
"I really hoped to carry on playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word emerged that there were inquiries going on.
"This situation was difficult - I had to just accept the outcome and accept that this entire situation is a lot more important than me."
A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's claims were accurate "likely correct", but stated it could not collect enough evidence to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014-15, but was surprisingly overlooked for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told media he also encountered prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I've had several distressing experiences within the national team," he stated.
"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's view.
"It's something that has been disguised as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"During a period of time you just begin to think that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."
Burrell says he was eventually spurred to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "enslaved person" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where chains would be placed."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the professional level and to the implementation of an strategy for the professional game."
"We has given significant focus on diversity and diversity in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both prior and after Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and classism," it continued.
"The organization are continuing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
All Premiership and PWR club now has in-person training on building welcoming cultures, with its effectiveness tracked via individual reports and surveys.
All England players, including youth squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to intervene and defend others from harmful behaviour.
"You be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film 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 proud of you and to have you as a son."
Burrell's dad Geoff passed away shortly after the production of the documentary, and his sister passed away recently.
Burrell, who was raised on a council estate in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the game more accessible.
His charitable organization aims to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and help them thrive on and off the field with free sports training, mentoring and dietary education.
"My motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is willing to tell their story then I'll persist to advocate for that cause because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.
"Everyone involved have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I talk about it hopefully the more comfortable others will feel about discussing their own experiences as well.
"I grab the challenge by the horns and continue bearing this flag and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to develop opportunities and make the game more appealing and more welcoming.
"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that the sport has the potential to change their lives, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a comeback to former club Northampton in late 2022
