The former player: 'I really wanted to carry on playing'
Warning: This piece includes details of discriminatory comments and behaviour
Ex-England player Luther Burrell states that going public to reveal racism in professional rugby brought his career to an early end.
In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "widespread" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and recalling training ground "jokes" he had been subject to while playing for Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only professional rugby since has been three appearances with guest team the Barbarians.
"I have definitely had to end my career because of what happened," he told media outlets.
"I really wanted to carry on competing, of course I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations going on.
"This situation was challenging - I had to just come to terms with the fate and understand that this whole situation is a lot more important than me."
A rugby governing body report in April 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "likely correct", but said it could not collect sufficient evidence to categorically say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's Six Nations games in 2014 and 2015, but was surprisingly excluded for their squad for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell told media he also faced prejudice within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his debut in 2014.
"I've had multiple distressing experiences within the national team," he said.
"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really inappropriate."
Racism had become normalised in team environments, in Burrell's view.
"This is something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the issue that I've myself suffered and seen," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican descent.
"During a extended period you just learn to believe that it's the norm and that is acceptable and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."
Burrell explains he was finally spurred to go public after a team-mate at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and instructed him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's revelations had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the elite game and to the implementation of an action plan for the professional game."
"We has placed significant focus on inclusion and diversity in rugby union and a substantial amount of work completed both before and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and shared his encounters of racism and classism," it continued.
"We are ongoing work with clubs and partners in the elite level to strive for a culture of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process."
Every Premiership and women's rugby club now has face-to-face education on building welcoming cultures, with its effectiveness monitored via individual reports and feedback.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from damaging conduct.
"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 effect on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have achieved so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son."
Burrell's father Geoff died shortly after the filming of the film, and his sibling passed away earlier this year.
Burrell, who grew up on a social housing in his hometown, maintains his work to make the game more accessible.
His charitable organization aims to connect with young people in disadvantaged communities and support them thrive both on the field with free sports coaching, guidance and dietary education.
"My personal motivations are genuine, I want to see the progress of the sport and if nobody else is willing to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for my own benefit," he said.
"We have an responsibility to make the sport as excellent as it can be and the more I speak about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their personal stories as well.
"I need to grab the bull by the opportunity and keep carrying this flag and keep carrying this responsibility and accomplish what I can to develop possibilities and make the sport more attractive and more welcoming.
"There are a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the ability to transform their lives, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored for the Barbarians on a comeback to previous team Northampton in late 2022
