Racism thrives in elite rugby, damning report finds

Luther Burrell's revelations led to a report on racism and an action plan for inclusion and diversity. Photo: PA/Will Matthews

A crime report reveals that rugby players and coaches have faced racism in all areas of the elite game in England.

Rugby Union (RFU), Premiership Rugby (PRL) and Players Association in rugby. The Association (RPA) jointly commissioned the survey following revelations made by Luther Burrell, the former center of England, in an interview with the Mail on Sunday last year.

The results of the study, known as Purpose Union, were subsequently presented to key Premier League club personnel. They found that players were discriminated against and excluded from men's and women's games, as well as from national teams, clubs and academies.

The Inclusion and Diversity Survey surveyed nearly 500 elite game players in men's and women's rugby about their experiences of racism and class behavior, and interviews were conducted between September and December 2022 with 29 participants from Premier League teams, Premier 15 Women's Clubs, Sevens and National Set. -ups. The group included players, as well as employees and parents of the players of the academy.

«Very often these [experiences] took the form of inappropriate or discriminatory comments and jokes from teammates, opposing players and coaches.» the report says.

“In most cases, these were described as recurring rather than one-time incidents. Participants also talked about stereotypical experiences, such as being placed on the flank due to black players being thought to be faster.

“These incidents were often attributed to ignorance rather than malice, on the understanding that they were the result of an unconscious bias. This kind of microaggression made some players of color feel that they were not welcome in the game and that in order to be accepted they had to conform to a whiter and more middle class culture.

People changed the way they talked and changed their behavior< p>“The members talked about changing the way they spoke, changing their behavior and hiding part of their identity. Those who stayed in the game often attributed their thick skin rather than their inclusive culture. The study found cases where club culture led people of color and members of the working class to leave the game.”

As a result of the study, the English Game has published an Inclusion and Diversity Action Plan, which will include mandatory player and staff training, as well as the implementation of club-specific inclusion and diversity plans. It will also aim to raise awareness of accountability structures.

“In order to implement the changes we all want to see after Luther’s candid and disturbing feedback on his experiences, collective action is required from all major stakeholders in the English game,” said Bill Sweeney, Chief Executive of Rugby Union.

“The results of our study of racism and class in rugby union have highlighted and strengthened our resolve to tackle and address these issues. forms of discrimination and the experience of our game and put inclusion at the heart.

“The action plan we have developed with Premiership Rugby, Premier 15s and the Rugby Players Association aims to develop the culture of rugby, raise awareness through education and develop systems based on greater engagement with the less-represented groups in the game today. By ensuring that different voices are heard at all levels of the sport, we will expand and provide better access for future players, coaches and leaders.”