Huge setback for ultra-violent new Australian sport that has been endorsed by NRL and AFL stars

Daily Mail​

22-05-2025

An ultra-violent Australian sport which has been endorsed by several prominent figures in the NRL and AFL has suffered a big blow after one of its events in New Zealand was called off.
'Run It Straight' is a new and emerging competition which challenges two competitors to sprint straight at each other and compete in full-contact collisions.
The objective is to either plough over an opposition tackler while running with a football or successfully tackle a ball carrier to the ground.
Competitors are generally seen wearing very minimal protective gear, with brutal impacts occuring as a result.
A 'Run It Straight' event, which is said to be organised by @RunItStraight24, had been scheduled at Williams Park Mangere in Auckland on Wednesday.
However, the event has been scrubbed by organisers after they failed to secure a permit to host the event.
A local board had also opposed the event after citing safety fears, claiming that the new sport could lead to brain injuries.
The chairman of the Mangere-Otahuhu local board, Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich, said to Democracy Reporting that no application had been made to the Auckland Council to host the event.
'An event was scheduled at Williams Park Māngere [on Wednesday]. The Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board opposes this event for reasons of safety, given what data is available as a result of brain and health-related injuries,' Bakulich said.
'This event did not apply for an approved permit from the Auckland Council, nor a parks booking through the Auckland Council process. This event will now not take place at Williams Park, Māngere.'
Auckland Council confirmed that no applications to host the event in the park had been received.
Though, while no application was given to Auckland Council, a spokesperson told the New Zealand Herald that it would have likely declined the request.
'If the organisers were to follow the correct process, we believe it is highly unlikely the event would have met the council's guidelines for approval,' a spokesperson said.
'For clarity, the council has not received an application for a permit nor a booking for the ground and therefore cannot comment on this event,' Eli Nathan, Auckland Council's head of area operations added.
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He stated permits are necessary for events that will host more than 150 people. Events that also involve safety risks or the use of power, food vendors or vehicles are also required to have a permit.
Meanwhile, Run It Straight's founder Christian Lesa, also known as Charizma,
'You see a lot of stuff online, I think they take little flicks and run with it online and run with that narrative,'
'But when you're there and the community is out - they loved it. I'd say there's not many events that bring the community together. Obviously, it's a full-contact sporting event but to see them there and loving it as much as I do, it means a lot to me.
'Having local businesses come through, they all sold out. That's another thing that fills my heart.'
He added: 'Obviously, the dream is to take it world wide and across all countries and that but it just depends on the backlash we get.'
It comes after a different run it straight championship, called RUNIT, was also held this week in Auckland, with another event planned in New Zealand on May 25.
The RUNIT Championships had also recently been held in Melbourne and saw former NRL star George Burgess and ex-international rugby union player Nemani Nadolo to compete at the event.
NRL star, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and AFL player Jamarra Ugle-Hagan have both appeared to endorse the RUNIT Championships in the past.
Asofa-Solomona has, after appearing in several pictures published on the league's social media, withdrawn his affiliation to the league.
Meanwhile, Ugle-Hagan, who is currently taking a leave of absence away from the Western Bulldogs to deal with some personal issues, was also seen at this month's RUNIT event in Melbourne.
The sport has gained huge popularity around the world already but has been scrutinised by some health experts, who were 'gobsmacked' by the sport, especially considering how many retired sports stars are reporting with brain injuries following their careers.
An Australian sports neuroscientist, Dr Alan Pearce, said he was baffled by why people would take the risk.
'I was pretty gobsmacked, speechless actually when I saw this competition idea starting because for me as someone who has seen hundreds of footballers and rugby league players who are now struggling with brain injury and long-term impairment it is really troubling,' Dr Pearce told news.com.au.
'I just cannot understand how they could take the most violent aspect of sport and just turn it into a spectacle where the objective is just to try and knock out or hurt your opponent.
'In a lot of these other sports (such as NRL, AFL and rugby union) you're trying to avoid direct contact whereas this is purely running at each other, it's insanity.'
However, former NRL star George Burgess has come out to defend the event.
'Every sport that we have in our society is to remind us of our warrior past and to simulate warfare in a safe way - and that's exactly what we do,' Burgess said.
While safety concerns have been raised by the new sport, RUNIT say they take a range of safety precautions to reduce the risk competitors are faced with.
'We've got an ambulance on site… We've got liability. Everything's covered,' RUNIT safety spokesperson Billy Coffey told RNZ.
'There's waivers, medicals beforehand, medicals after. There's an ambulance on site.'
'These guys, they're born warriors, they want to do this and they're stuck at home, have to retire early.
'Just because of that financial crisis, they're stuck in two jobs because maybe their partner or wife or whoever's staying at home can't afford to send [their children to] a daycare or doesn't want to and wants to spend more time with the family, and this gives these people a chance to get off off the couch, find that fire again in front of their friends and family and relive it.'