The former player: 'I really wanted to carry on playing'
Warning: This article includes details of racially offensive comments and behaviour
FormerEngland centre Luther Burrell claims that speaking out to expose racism in rugby union led his professional journey to an premature conclusion.
In a 2022 interview, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, showing Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while playing for Newcastle.
At that time 34 and without a team, 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 occurred," he told reporters.
"I hoped to continue playing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when news emerged that there were investigations underway.
"That was challenging - I had to simply come to terms with the fate and understand that this whole situation is a lot bigger than me."
A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were accurate "on the balance of probability", but said it could not collect sufficient proof to definitively say they happened at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was surprisingly overlooked 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 win 15 appearances after his first game in February 2014.
"I've had multiple distressing experiences within the national team," he stated.
"Some discrimination and other just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become normalised in dressing rooms, in Burrell's view.
"This is something that has been dressed up as banter and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"Over a extended period you just learn to think that it's the standard and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's incorrect."
Burrell says he was eventually motivated to speak out after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sunscreen on his arms and legs "where chains would be placed."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "increased scrutiny at the environment within the elite game and to the introduction of an strategy for the professional game."
"The organization has placed significant attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work undertaken both before and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it added.
"The organization are continuing work with teams and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."
All Prem and PWR club now has in-person education on creating welcoming cultures, with its success tracked via individual reports and feedback.
All England players, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.
"You should be so proud of what you have accomplished," Burrell's mother Joyce told him as part of the film about his experiences.
"I know it has had this effect on you and ended your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so well. We are so impressed of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's father Geoff passed away soon after the filming of the film, and his sibling passed away earlier this year.
Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in Huddersfield, maintains his work to make the sport more open.
His 12 Foundation works to reach young people in under-served communities and help them succeed both on the pitch with complimentary sports training, mentoring and dietary education.
"My personal motivations are pure, 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 fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he explained.
"We have an obligation to make the game as excellent as it can be and the longer I talk about it hopefully the more comfortable others will become about sharing their own experiences as well.
"I take the bull by the opportunity and keep bearing this banner and continue supporting this weight and do what I can to develop possibilities and make the game more attractive and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of disadvantaged children and a lot of economic hardship and I sincerely think 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 previous team Northampton in late 2022
