"Burrell said the investigation that began after he made the claims caused his opportunities to dry up and that despite wanting to keep playing he has been unable to find a contract at a professional club for the past three years. I have absolutely had to retire because of what's gone on, Burrell said. I wanted to carry on playing."
"Among the allegations he made at the time, Burrell claimed a teammate had referred to him as a slave and told him to apply sunscreen to his wrists and ankles as that's where your shackles were. An investigation by the Rugby Football Union found that on the balance of probability Burrell's claims were likely true, but it could not definitively prove that most of the abuse happened at Newcastle."
"The club later said that the only proven incidents during his time there, which involved racist messages in a players' WhatsApp group and incidents on an away day and a night out, were gravely concerning and incredibly disappointing, but that they were unable to take disciplinary action against individuals due to no further actionable evidence such as names or dates being provided."
Luther Burrell alleged racist abuse while playing for Newcastle in 2022, including a teammate calling him a slave and telling him to apply sunscreen where shackles would sit. An RFU investigation found Burrell's claims were likely true on the balance of probability but could not definitively prove most incidents occurred at Newcastle. The club confirmed proven incidents involved racist messages in a players' WhatsApp group and incidents on an away day and a night out, but could not discipline individuals without actionable evidence. The investigation reportedly led to lost opportunities and an inability to secure a professional contract, prompting retirement.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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