The former player: 'I wanted to carry on playing'
Important note: This piece includes details of racially offensive language and behaviour
Ex-England centre Luther Burrell claims that going public to reveal racial discrimination in professional rugby brought his professional journey to an premature conclusion.
In a June 2022, Burrell described racism as being "rife" in the game, displaying digital communications 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've have definitely had to retire because of what went on," he told reporters.
"I really hoped to carry on competing, naturally I did. I pursued that, and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations underway.
"That was challenging - I had to simply accept the fate and understand that this whole process is a lot bigger than me."
A sports organization report in April 2023 found Burrell's claims were true "on the balance of probability", but stated it could not collect enough 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 team for the 2015 World Cup
Burrell told media he also encountered discrimination within the England set-up, during a Test career that saw him win 15 caps after his first game in February 2014.
"I have had multiple distressing experiences within England camp," he stated.
"Certain instances of discrimination and some just outdated thinking that's really unacceptable."
Racism had become accepted in dressing rooms, in Burrell's experience.
"This is 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 heritage.
"Over a period of time you just learn to think 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 speak out after a team-mate at Newcastle called him as a "enslaved person" and told him to put sun cream on his arms and legs "where your shackles were."
The governing body said Burrell's disclosures had led to "increased scrutiny at the culture within the professional level and to the introduction of an action plan for the elite level."
"We has placed considerable attention on diversity and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work completed both prior and after Luther Burrell spoke publicly and revealed his encounters of racism and class discrimination," it added.
"The organization are ongoing work with clubs and stakeholders in the elite level to strive for a environment of acceptance but acknowledge this takes time and is an continuous effort."
Every Prem and PWR club now has face-to-face training on creating welcoming environments, with its effectiveness tracked via specific documentation and surveys.
All England athletes, including youth squads, are educated in being "active bystanders" to step in and defend others from harmful conduct.
"You should be so pleased of what you have done," Burrell's mother Joyce said to him as part of the film Luther Burrell - Rugby, Racism and Redemption.
"We know it has had this effect on you and finished your playing days, but in our eyes, you have done so much. We are so proud of you and to have you as a family member."
Burrell's father Geoff passed away soon after the production of the documentary, and his sister died earlier this year.
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 support them succeed on and off the field with free sports coaching, guidance and nutrition education.
"My motivations are pure, I want to see the evolution of the sport and if others is prepared to tell their experience then I'll persist to fight that fight because I'm not just pursuing this for myself," he said.
"We have an obligation to make the game as great as it can be and the longer I speak about it hopefully the more confident fellow players will become about sharing their personal experiences as well.
"I take the bull by the opportunity and continue bearing this banner and continue carrying this responsibility and do what I can to create possibilities and make the game more attractive and more welcoming.
"There's a lot of underprivileged young people and a lot of poverty and I honestly think that the sport has the potential to change 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
