The former player: 'I wanted to continue playing'
Warning: This article contains descriptions of discriminatory language and conduct
Ex-England player Luther Burrell says that going public to reveal racial discrimination in rugby union brought his career to an early conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell characterized racism as being "widespread" in the game, displaying Whatsapp messages and remembering training ground "comments" he had been exposed to while representing Newcastle.
Then 34 and out of contract, Burrell's only elite playing since has been a handful of games with invitational side the Barbarians.
"I have definitely had to retire because of what happened," he explained to media outlets.
"I really wanted to carry on competing, naturally I did. I sought that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations going on.
"This situation was difficult - I had to just come to terms with the outcome and accept that this entire process is a lot more important than me."
A sports organization investigation in 2023 found Burrell's allegations were true "on the balance of probability", but said it could not gather sufficient proof to definitively say they occurred at Newcastle.
Luther Burrell played in all of England's international games in 2014-15, but was surprisingly excluded for their squad for the 2015 tournament
Burrell told media he also encountered discrimination within the England set-up, during a international career that saw him earn 15 caps after his first game in 2014.
"I have had several distressing experiences within England camp," he stated.
"Some discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become accepted in team environments, in Burrell's view.
"It's something that has been disguised as banter and that's been the problem that I've myself suffered and witnessed," said Burrell, who is of Jamaican heritage.
"During a period of time you just learn to think that it's the norm and that is fine and that it's not harmful, but that's nonsense."
Burrell explains he was eventually motivated to go public after a fellow player at Newcastle referred to him as a "slave" and told him to put sun cream on his wrists and ankles "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "a deeper look at the environment within the professional level and to the implementation of an action plan for the professional game."
"We has placed significant attention on diversity and diversity in the sport and a great deal of work undertaken both prior and since Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it added.
"We are ongoing work with teams and stakeholders in the professional game to strive for a environment of inclusivity but acknowledge this requires patience and is an ongoing process."
Every Prem and women's rugby club now has face-to-face training on creating welcoming cultures, with its success monitored via specific documentation and surveys.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are trained in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful behaviour.
"You should be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the documentary about his experiences.
"I know it has had this impact on you and finished 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 dad Geoff died soon after the filming of the film, and his sister passed away earlier this year.
Burrell, who grew up on a council estate in his hometown, continues his work to make the sport more accessible.
His 12 Foundation works to reach young people in under-served communities and help them succeed both on the field with free sports coaching, mentoring and dietary education.
"My personal intentions are pure, I want to see the evolution of the game and if nobody else is willing to share their story then I'll persist to advocate for that cause 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 longer I speak about it perhaps the more comfortable fellow players will become about discussing their own stories as well.
"I need to take the bull by the horns and keep carrying this flag and keep carrying this responsibility and do what I can to create possibilities and make the sport more appealing and more inclusive.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the ability to transform their futures, just as it did for me."
Burrell scored a try for the Barbarians on a return to former club Northampton in late 2022
