A survey commissioned by the RFU and Premiership Rugby of approximately 500 players has shown that rugby players and coaches have experienced racism in the elite game in England.
The survey was commissioned in the wake of revelations made by former England centre Luther Burell, in an interview with the Daily Mail last year, where he revealed he had been the target of ‘slavery jokes’ during his career.
According to a report in the Telegraph, the results of the study have been shared with Premiership clubs.
The group of 500 surveyed included 29 participants from Premiership sides, the women’s Premier15s, sevens and national set-ups, as well as staff members and parents of academy members.
“Very often these [experiences] took the form of inappropriate or discriminatory comments and jokes from team-mates, opposition players and coaches,” reads the report.
“In the majority of experiences, these were described as repeated occurrences rather than one-off incidents. Participants also gave experiences of being stereotyped – for example being placed on the wing because of a perception that black players are faster.
“These incidents were often attributed to ignorance rather than malice, the understanding being that they were a result of unconscious bias. Microaggressions such as these made some players of colour feel that they were not welcome in the game, and that they had to conform to a whiter and more middle-class culture in order to be accepted.
“Participants spoke of changing how they spoke, altering their behaviour and hiding part of their identity. Those that remained in the game often credited their thick skin rather than finding an inclusive culture. The research found instances where the club culture led to people of colour and working-class people leaving the game.”
The report has led to the RFU publishing an inclusion and diversity action plan, which encompasses mandatory training for players and staff.
“To embed the change we all want to see following Luther’s frank and disturbing feedback to us about his experiences, requires collective action from all the major stakeholders in the English game,” said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney,
“The findings from our research into racism and classism in rugby union have been revealing and have hardened our resolve to address and remove these forms of discrimination and experiences from our game and put inclusion at its very heart.
“The action plan we have developed, with Premiership Rugby, Premier 15s and the Rugby Players Association aims to evolve the culture in rugby, build greater awareness through education and develop systems that are underpinned by greater engagement with under-represented groups in the game to today. By ensuring diverse voices are being heard across all levels of the sport, we will broaden and provide better access for future players, coaches and leaders.”
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