The former player: 'I wanted to carry on my rugby career'
Important note: This piece includes details of discriminatory comments and behaviour
FormerEngland player Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racism in rugby union led his career to an early end.
In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "jokes" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been three appearances with invitational side the Barbarians.
"I've have definitely had to retire because of what occurred," he explained to media outlets.
"I really wanted to continue playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news came out that there were investigations going on.
"That was difficult - I had to just come to terms with the fate and accept that this whole process is a lot more important than me."
A sports organization investigation in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "likely correct", but stated it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's international games in 2014-15, but was surprisingly excluded for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told journalists he also faced discrimination within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him earn 15 caps after his first game in February 2014.
"I've had multiple traumatic experiences within the national team," he said.
"Some discrimination and other just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's experience.
"It's something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the problem that I've personally experienced and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"Over a extended period you just learn to think that it's the norm 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 called him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the elite game and to the introduction of an action plan for the professional game."
"The organization has placed considerable focus on diversity and inclusion in the sport and a substantial amount of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and partners in the professional game to strive for a environment of acceptance but recognize this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
All Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on building inclusive cultures, with its success tracked via individual reports and surveys.
All England players, including youth squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from harmful conduct.
"You be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the documentary about his experiences.
"We know it has had this effect on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so much. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."
Burrell's dad Geoff died soon after the production of the film, and his sibling died recently.
Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in Huddersfield, continues his work to make the game more open.
His 12 Foundation works to reach children in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive on and off the field with complimentary sports training, mentoring and dietary education.
"My personal intentions are genuine, I want to see the progress of the game and if nobody else is prepared to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just doing this for myself," he explained.
"We have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the longer I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable others will feel about discussing their personal stories as well.
"I need to grab the challenge by the horns and keep carrying this flag and continue supporting this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop opportunities and make the sport more attractive and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of poverty and I honestly believe that the sport has the ability to change their lives, just as it transformed things for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in late 2022
