The former player: 'I wanted to carry on my rugby career'
Important note: This article contains details of discriminatory comments and behaviour
Ex-England centre Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racial discrimination in rugby union brought his career to an premature end.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the sport, showing Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "comments" he had been subject to while representing Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with guest team the Barbarians.
"I have absolutely had to retire because of what went on," he told reporters.
"I really hoped to carry on playing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news emerged that there were investigations going on.
"This situation was challenging - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and accept that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014-15, but was surprisingly excluded for their team for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told media he also faced discrimination 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 several distressing experiences within the national team," he stated.
"Some discrimination and other just old-school mentality that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's view.
"It's something that has been dressed up as humour and that's been the issue that I've personally experienced and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"Over 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 incorrect."
Burrell says he was eventually spurred to speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "slave" and told him to put sunscreen on his wrists and ankles "where chains would be placed."
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 elite level."
"The organization has given considerable attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and revealed his experiences of racism and class discrimination," it continued.
"We are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a culture of inclusivity but recognize this takes time and is an continuous effort."
Every Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on creating inclusive environments, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.
All England players, including age-grade squads, are trained in being "engaged observers" to step in and defend others from damaging behaviour.
"You should 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 view, you have achieved so much. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a son."
Burrell's dad Geoff passed away soon after the filming of the documentary, and his sibling passed away recently.
Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in his hometown, continues his work to make the game more open.
His 12 Foundation works to reach young people in under-served communities and help them thrive both on the pitch with free sports training, guidance and dietary education.
"My intentions are genuine, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if nobody else is prepared to share their experience then I'll persist to fight that cause because I'm not just doing this for my own benefit," he explained.
"We have an obligation to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable others will feel about sharing their personal experiences as well.
"I need to take the challenge by the opportunity and keep bearing this banner and continue carrying this weight and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of underprivileged children and a lot of economic hardship and I honestly think that rugby has the ability to change their lives, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in November 2022
