Latest news with #RUNITChampionshipLeague
Otago Daily Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
League makes way for RUNIT
For Hornby Panthers rugby league player Champ Betham, the pros of 'running it straight' outweigh any potential cons. Betham returned home this week from Dubai, after finishing third in the RUNIT Championship League, pocketing AU$25,000 (NZ$27,000) in prize money. It adds to the $20,000 he won at a trial in Auckland in May, qualifying him for the finals – meant to be held at Trusts Arena, which hosted the trials, before the venue pulled out due to safety concerns, and the finals were held in the Middle East. It is life-changing money for the 30-year-old and his growing family, which includes four children and a baby due in August. '(I'll be) stocking up the cupboards and fridges for my young babies, and prepping for my new boy, so (I'm) grateful for that,' he said. RUNIT is a full-contact collision sport where competitors sprint into each other, with the winner decided by who 'dominates the collision'. The format has drawn widespread criticism over its dangers, with sporting bodies and medical experts warning against participation. Last month, a Palmerston North teenager died after sustaining a brain injury while mimicking the sport with friends. At the Dubai event, former Kiwis rugby league international Kevin Proctor was knocked out and reportedly suffered a seizure during an exhibition match against Australian influencer Jordan Simi. Betham admitted there were risks involved, but believes they're no worse than those in other contact sports. 'It's almost like footy – in rugby league you pretty much run it straight from the kick-off, but you're not running into one person, you're running into three or four,' he said. "You've just got to try and prepare for it, and fingers crossed you don't come out knocked out.' He first heard about RUNIT through a friend of his partner, who was working as a videographer and graphic designer at the Auckland event. Organisers were looking for competitors from Christchurch, and Betham was keen. 'It got my attention straight away when I found out. It's pretty much just up the guts,' he said. 'Personally, I've been a guy who likes to crash and bang in the footy game. I didn't think I was going up to win, I was genuinely just giving it a shot.' After his surprise success, Betham is now considering whether he could make a career out of running it straight, especially with the potential for more events later this year. 'I definitely see myself doing it if it does go pro. I definitely think I could do it.' For now, Betham is back to his day job as a youth worker, with one heck of a story to tell people. 'All the kids were pretty shocked when they saw it, they were like, 'that's my youth worker, what the hell?'' He will likely not feature for Hornby in the CRL Premiership this season, wanting to save himself for RUNIT events.
Kuwait Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
After outcry, ‘world's fiercest' collision sport seeks new markets
DUBAI: Under bright lights and cameras in Dubai, two large men charge at each other down a narrow, plastic pitch, colliding head-on with a bone-jarring thud that sends one of them sprawling. It's the start of a night of thumps, grunts and head injuries at Runit, the rugby-inspired competition that has quickly drawn a social media following and alarm from health experts. The injury-count is high: three of the 12 players are withdrawn with suspected concussion, including a sickening hit that leaves ex-National Rugby League pro Kevin Proctor writhing on the ground. The final ends when Sam 'The Ice Man' Suamili is too dazed to continue, leaving Auckland's Vulangi Olosoni, 26, to celebrate the Aus$200,000 ($130,000) first prize with his overjoyed wife and sister. Organisers have big plans for the Runit Championship League, the brainchild of seven young men from Melbourne who have evolved it from a backyard game to a marketable commodity in a matter of months. Saturday's competition, attended by just a few hundred fans, was backed by several sponsors with a live-stream featuring ex-NRL pro George Burgess, a figurehead for the sport. Its rapid rise has been controversial, however. The event was held in the United Arab Emirates after calls to ban it following trials in New Zealand, where a teenager died playing a copycat version last month. Kevin Proctor receives medical attention after a tackle during the RUNIT Championship League. 'Honourable' According to Lou Sticca, a football agent and consultant promoter who brought the tournament to Dubai, the next stop is the United States. 'It's a contact sport. Americans love contact sport. This is tailor-made,' he told AFP. 'It's two gladiators. It's actually quite honourable. You've got two guys similar size, similar weight. There's a lot of technique,' he added. Runit, which bills itself as the 'world's fiercest new collision sport', is contested on a track 20 metres (65 feet) long and four metres wide. The athletes, typically with a rugby background and the build of a heavyweight boxer, have four runs at each other taking turns to hold a rugby ball. The winner is the man judged to 'dominate' the contest. Two doctors and three other medics were pitchside in Dubai, with two ambulances waiting outside, according to Sticca. The players, mostly New Zealanders, had medical checks including head scans before flying out and will be assessed again on their return, he said. 'We're engaging proper legal experts on concussion and as we grow the sport, we'll get experts in concussion at other sports,' Sticca said. 'We'll do whatever we can to play our part in ensuring the health and safety of our combatants.' 'Unacceptable threat' However, not everyone is convinced. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Runit a 'dumb thing to do', while the New Zealand Medical Journal said it was 'engineered for injury'. 'It is a ritualized, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,' an editorial said this week. 'As trauma clinicians, we warn unequivocally: Run It Straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury,' the journal added. Concerns over concussion have prompted new measures in several sports including the rugby codes as scores of retired players report serious health problems. Tania Mayne, a Dubai-based neurophysiotherapist who specializes in concussion, said the science was clear on impacts to the head. 'World Rugby has been so outspoken about how a contact should take place in a match,' she told AFP, referring to rugby union's governing body. 'This goes against everything out there.' Mayne added: 'I would just encourage people not to get involved and read what's out there. There's so much information about concussion in sport.' Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease caused by repeated blows to the head, is known to trigger violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head knocks have also been linked to disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, Sticca said Runit was being unfairly singled out. 'Any contact sport has got the same issues. It's just that we're only hearing about this because it suits the agenda,' he said. 'We don't care about the critics, we care about the combatants. We care about making Runit a bigger, better sport. Simple as that.' — AFP
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
After outcry, rugby-inspired collision sport seeks new markets
Jordan Simi (left) competes against Kevin Proctor during the RUNIT Championship League in Dubai on June 28. PHOTO: AFP DUBAI – Under bright lights and cameras in Dubai, two large men charge at each other down a narrow, plastic pitch, colliding head-on with a bone-jarring thud that sends one of them sprawling. It's the start of a night of thumps, grunts and head injuries at Runit, the rugby-inspired competition that has quickly drawn a social media following and alarm from health experts. The injury-count is high: three of the 12 players are withdrawn with suspected concussion, including a sickening hit that leaves ex-National Rugby League pro Kevin Proctor writhing on the ground. The final ends when Sam 'The Ice Man' Suamili is too dazed to continue, leaving Auckland's Vulangi Olosoni, 26, to celebrate the Aus$200,000 first prize with his overjoyed wife and sister. Organisers have big plans for the Runit Championship League, the brainchild of seven young men from Melbourne who have evolved it from a backyard game to a marketable commodity in a matter of months. The June 28 competition, attended by just a few hundred fans, was backed by several sponsors with a live-stream featuring ex-NRL pro George Burgess, a figurehead for the sport. Its rapid rise has been controversial, however. The event was held in the United Arab Emirates after calls to ban it following trials in New Zealand, where a teenager died playing a copycat version last month. According to Lou Sticca, a football agent and consultant promoter who brought the tournament to Dubai, the next stop is the United States. 'It's a contact sport. Americans love contact sport. This is tailor-made,' he told AFP. 'It's two gladiators. It's actually quite honourable. You've got two guys similar size, similar weight. There's a lot of technique,' he added. Runit, which bills itself as the 'world's fiercest new collision sport', is contested on a track 20 metres long and four metres wide. The athletes, typically with a rugby background and the build of a heavyweight boxer, have four runs at each other taking turns to hold a rugby ball. The winner is the man judged to 'dominate' the contest. Two doctors and three other medics were pitchside in Dubai, with two ambulances waiting outside, according to Sticca. The players, mostly New Zealanders, had medical checks including head scans before flying out and will be assessed again on their return, he said. 'We're engaging proper legal experts on concussion and as we grow the sport, we'll get experts in concussion at other sports,' Sticca said. 'We'll do whatever we can to play our part in ensuring the health and safety of our combatants.' However, not everyone is convinced. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Runit a 'dumb thing to do', while the New Zealand Medical Journal said it was 'engineered for injury'. 'It is a ritualised, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,' an editorial said this week. 'As trauma clinicians, we warn unequivocally: Run It Straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury,' the journal added. Concerns over concussion have prompted new measures in several sports including the rugby codes as scores of retired players report serious health problems. Tania Mayne, a Dubai-based neurophysiotherapist who specialises in concussion, said the science was clear on impacts to the head. 'World Rugby has been so outspoken about how a contact should take place in a match,' she told AFP, referring to rugby union's governing body. 'This goes against everything out there.' Mayne added: 'I would just encourage people not to get involved and read what's out there. There's so much information about concussion in sport.' Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease caused by repeated blows to the head, is known to trigger violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head knocks have also been linked to disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, Sticca said Runit was being unfairly singled out. 'Any contact sport has got the same issues. It's just that we're only hearing about this because it suits the agenda,' he said. 'We don't care about the critics, we care about the combatants. We care about making Runit a bigger, better sport. Simple as that.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Sky News AU
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Sky News AU
Former NRL player Kevin Proctor suffers knockout during RUNIT event month after teenager dies doing same challenge
A former NRL player has suffered a scary knockout during a controversial run it straight event in the Middle East, a month after a teenager in New Zealand died doing the same challenge. Former NRL player Kevin Proctor has suffered a scary knockout in a run it straight contest with social media influencer Jordan Simi at RUNIT 02 in Dubai, as many call the stunt stupid and dangerous. The run it straight trend, which is growing in popularity, involves people directly running into each other as hard as they can. In sickening footage, the former rugby league player collided with his ball-carrying opponent Simi, resulting in a huge collision. Proctor came off second best and was left dazed after being flattened in the contest, his head flat on the surface and his legs stiff. — NRLCentral (@centralNRL) June 29, 2025 The incident caused immediate concern among organisers, spectators, medics, and his opponent. After the footage went online it left many people bemused by the 'stupid' RUNIT game, which offers $200,000 in prize money for first place. 'Wtf how is this a thing,' one said on X. 'This stupid 'sport' should be banned and made illegal,' another added. 'Stupid and dangerous,' a third said. The trend has gained popularity in Australia and New Zealand and has drawn significant criticism. The game originated through the Australian-based RUNIT Championship League competition. The challenge took a dark turn after a New Zealand teenager Ryan Satterthwaite tragically died after attempting to run it straight. The 19-year-old suffered a serious head injury when he did it at a property in May. The RUNIT event has not convinced trauma clinicians, despite medical staff on site for participants. Neuroscientist Dr Helen Murray told the NZ Herald she does not 'support' the high-risk challenge. 'There is clearly a high risk of head injury in this event. There's no attempt to reduce head acceleration, so I do not support it,' she said. Australian neurologist Dr Alan Pearce said it's simply 'insanity'. 'It's insanity. You're removing the skill and strategy and replacing it with blunt force,' he said. Proctor played 283 NRL games for the Gold Coast Titans and Melbourne Storm, and 22 Test matches for New Zealand. He was sacked in 2022 after posting himself vaping in the CommBank Stadium toilets during a game for the Titans. Vaping is not permitted in or around the ground. Consequently, his club labelled his actions 'dumb' and fined him $15,000 and proceeded to later tear up his playing contract. Proctor was also fined $20,000 and banned for four games by the Titans after he allegedly purchased and consumed cocaine with Jesse Bromwich in 2017.
News.com.au
01-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Viral sport run it straight ‘here to stay' despite teen's death
Organisers of controversial new contact sport RUNIT have declared they are 'here to stay' despite widespread backlash after a teenager died from head injuries suffered in a casual 'run it straight' game with mates. Ryan Satterthwaite was critically injured while playing an impromptu tackle game with friends last week in Palmerston North, New Zealand. According to Ryan's uncle, Peter Satterthwaite, his nephew and his friends decided to try it at a 21st birthday celebration on Sunday after seeing the big hits on social media. 'They decided to give it a go because of what they saw on social media and on the news last week about it,' Satterthwaite told Stuff. Footage of the tackle that resulted in the injuries that would later take the life of Ryan, was given to police. The video of the tackle in question reportedly didn't even hit his head, instead, it was the jolting motion of the hit that proved fatal. For years the 'run it straight' trend has sporadically gone viral on social media platforms. But in recent months it has transformed from a viral social media trend to a fully-fledged sport, with 'Run it Straight Official' and 'RUNIT Championship League' turning it into a business and holding competitions in Australia and New Zealand. The 'sport' continues to be increasingly controversial due to the violent nature of some of the tackles and the backlash has only intensified after Satterthwaite passed away. But Melbourne-based organisation RUNIT – the most high profile and well- of the several organisations staging 'run it straight' challenges – distanced themselves from the tragic incident and declared they aren't going anywhere. 'We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be performed under strict conditions,' a RUNIT spokesperson told Code Sports. 'RUNIT is planning future events over the coming months and will continue to educate our followers on the risks associated.' And as calls intensified for the sport to be banned RUNIT founder Rennie Lautolo-Molimau wrote 'We're here to stay' in an Instagram story. The caption was on a screenshot showing that UFC commentator and podcast behemoth Joe Rogan was following their page. New Zealand government moves to crack down on controversial spot However, the future of 'run it straight' at least in New Zealand hangs in the balance, with their Government seeking advice on what they can do about the controversial sport. Sport NZ group chief executive Raelene Castle told the New Zealand Herald it was concerned about the emergence of the sport, 'which clearly comes with significant health and safety risks'. 'Both Sport NZ and High-Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) are committed to fostering safe and inclusive activities and events for all New Zealanders. 'We are working to facilitate a cross-agency discussion with those who have an interest in this area on what a Government approach to the operation of combat sport, including the emergence of activities and events like run it straight, in New Zealand could look like.' Castle strongly advised people against participating in run-it or any activities that encourage high-speed collisions. While New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon labelled Satterthwaite's death an 'absolute tragedy' on Friday morning and said competing in the viral trend was 'a dumb thing to do'. 'When it's happening at a 21st birthday party unofficially, that is not something the Government can solve through legislation or through regulation,' Luxon said. 'All I can say to young adults who are participating is you've got some personal responsibility in this. You're hearing the advice from the police, from the medical fraternity, from the Government, from principals saying don't do it. 'To the adults that are involved in the more formal organisation of it and are influencing it and leading this out on social media, I think you need to stop and I can't be any clearer. 'The evidence is that it's a dumb thing to do and you should stop.'
