Latest news with #RunItChampionshipLeague
1News
27-06-2025
- Health
- 1News
'Dangerous spectacle': Health experts push for Run It Straight ban
Run It Straight is a "dangerous spectacle" that is harming young people and must be banned immediately, say Aotearoa's leading trauma clinicians. Three frontline medical professionals issued the warning in a hard-hitting editorial published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal. It follows the death of Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, who died during a backyard Run It Straight-style game. The editorial, written by trauma nurse Sarah Logan, surgical registrar Rachel Lauchlan, and general surgeon Dr Christopher Wakeman, calls on councils, schools, and sporting bodies to take urgent action to prevent further harm. "Run It Straight is not a sport. It is a dangerous spectacle that has already claimed a young life. It's continued promotion is medically indefensible and ethically unjustifiable." The unregulated challenge involves two people sprinting toward each other and colliding at full force, often without helmets. Social media clips celebrate knockouts and impact hits, but health experts say what they're really watching is long-term brain trauma unfold. "Even a single concussive blow can cause permanent cognitive, emotional and behavioural impairment, particularly in adolescents and young adults whose brains are still developing," the authors wrote. "Repetitive collisions of this kind increase the likelihood of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative brain disease." The health experts want councils to not allow Run It Straight events, schools and clubs to ban the practice, sports stars to stop endorsing it, social media platforms to remove harmful content, and public health campaigns to raise awareness of the risks. "We cannot afford another preventable death… Let this be the last death." In May 2025, Satterthwaite died after suffering a severe head injury. Also in May, at a Run It Championship League event at Auckland's Trust Arena, two participants were knocked unconscious, one suffered a seizure, and an estimated one in four competitors showed signs of concussion. The editorial also challenges claims that the events help build community pride and service saying. "Young men are pressured to earn respect through violence, and injury is glorified as a badge of honour. We must dismantle this idea. Real mana is not shown through unregulated impact, but through insight and true sport tactics, and lies in caring for oneself and others." There are at least two separate groups associated with Run It Straight-style events, the grassroots team led by Christian Lesa, also known as Charizma. There's a commercial competition called the Run It Championship League, which hosted the Trust Arena event in Auckland in May. Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanuʻu Nick Bakulich commented on the grassroots group who attempted to host events in South Auckland. "Our local board has made a stance with a recent event that was due to take place in Māngere, which we did not endorse," Tauanuʻu says. "This very recent death, tragic death, clearly outlines why we should be looking at banning such activity." Local Democracy Reporting asked Tauanuʻu how communities could better balance cultural pride, masculinity, and community spirit without compromising safety. "It's definitely not through an event like Run It Straight. There's lots of other opportunities out there for our people, playing a sport in a controlled environment, or even weightlifting, bodybuilding, body sculpturing, all very popular at the moment." Auckland Council confirmed it has not approved any Run It Straight events and said its permitting process cannot be used to ban them under current bylaws. "We are only aware of one event being held on council land, which was held at a South Auckland park without any council notification or endorsement," said Taryn Crewe, General Manager of Parks and Community Facilities. "If the organisers of Run-it Straight-type events had approached the council to seek a permit, we would be unlikely to approve it because of the serious health and safety impacts." The council is open to improving its processes as new sports evolve, to ensure risks are effectively managed on public land, she says. "It is always helpful when sports codes show leadership by calling out unsafe practices. Players have a huge influence as respected role models on how some of these activities evolve." Tauanuʻu says council systems are robust but warns informal Run It Straight events show why communities must stay alert and well-informed. "It's quite clear what our parks and reserves are used for. And this type of activity is certainly outside of those parameters." RUNIT Championship League and the Run It Straight owner and CEO, Christian Lesa, were approached for comment. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
27-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
'Dangerous Spectacle': Health Experts Push For Run It Straight Ban
Run It Straight is a "dangerous spectacle" that is harming young people and must be banned immediately, say Aotearoa's leading trauma clinicians. Three frontline medical professionals issued the warning in a hard-hitting editorial published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal. It follows the death of Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, who died during a backyard Run It Straight-style game. The editorial, written by trauma nurse Sarah Logan, surgical registrar Rachel Lauchlan, and general surgeon Dr Christopher Wakeman, calls on councils, schools, and sporting bodies to take urgent action to prevent further harm. "RunIt Straight is not a sport. It is a dangerous spectacle that has already claimed a young life. It's continued promotion is medically indefensible and ethically unjustifiable." The unregulated challenge involves two people sprinting toward each other and colliding at full force, often without helmets. Social media clips celebrate knockouts and impact hits, but health experts say what they're really watching is long-term brain trauma unfold. "Even a single concussive blow can cause permanent cognitive, emotional and behavioural impairment, particularly in adolescents and young adults whose brains are still developing," the authors wrote. "Repetitive collisions of this kind increase the likelihood of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive degenerative brain disease." The health experts want councils to not allow Run It Straight events, schools and clubs to ban the practice, sports stars to stop endorsing it, social media platforms to remove harmful content, and public health campaigns to raise awareness of the risks. "We cannot afford another preventable death … Let this be the last death." In May 2025, Satterthwaite died after suffering a severe head injury. Also in May, at a Run It Championship League event at Auckland's Trust Arena, two participants were knocked unconscious, one suffered a seizure, and an estimated one in four competitors showed signs of concussion. The editorial also challenges claims that the events help build community pride and service saying. "Young men are pressured to earn respect through violence, and injury is glorified as a badge of honour. We must dismantle this idea. Real mana is not shown through unregulated impact, but through insight and true sport tactics, and lies in caring for oneself and others." There are at least two separate groups associated with Run It Straight-style events, the grassroots team led by Christian Lesa, also known as Charizma. There's a commercial competition called the Run It Championship League, which hosted the Trust Arena event in Auckland in May. Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanuu Nick Bakulich commented on the grassroots group who attempted to host events in South Auckland. "Our local board has made a stance with a recent event that was due to take place in Māngere, which we did not endorse," Tauanuu said. "This very recent death, tragic death, clearly outlines why we should be looking at banning such activity." Local Democracy Reporting asked Tauanuu how communities could better balance cultural pride, masculinity, and community spirit without compromising safety. "It's definitely not through an event like Run It Straight. There's lots of other opportunities out there for our people, playing a sport in a controlled environment, or even weightlifting, bodybuilding, body sculpturing, all very popular at the moment." Auckland Council confirmed it has not approved any Run It Straight events and said its permitting process cannot be used to ban them under current bylaws. "We are only aware of one event being held on council land, which was held at a South Auckland park without any council notification or endorsement," said Taryn Crewe, General Manager of Parks and Community Facilities. "If the organisers of Run-it Straight-type events had approached the council to seek a permit, we would be unlikely to approve it because of the serious health and safety impacts." The council is open to improving its processes as new sports evolve, to ensure risks are effectively managed on public land, she said. "It is always helpful when sports codes show leadership by calling out unsafe practices. Players have a huge influence as respected role models on how some of these activities evolve." Tauanuu said council systems are robust, but warns informal Run It Straight events show why communities must stay alert and well-informed. "It's quite clear what our parks and reserves are used for. And this type of activity is certainly outside of those parameters."
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Warriors distance themselves from 'run it straight'
RUNIT Auckland. Trusts Stadium. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport The rugby league community is ensuring they distance themselves from the controversial new collision trend known as 'run it straight.' Calls are growing louder to ban the game in the wake of a teenager's death in Palmerston North. Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, died after suffering a catastrophic head injury while playing a version of the game. Though several copycat leagues have appeared, the pre-eminent and most popular is the RunIt Championship League. Current Warriors halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita has appeared in promotions for RunIt, advertised as a 'special guest' for the first night of trials in Auckland. When RNZ contacted the club for comment, a spokesman insisted the Warriors had nothing to do with the organisation. Coach Andrew Webster said he is not across the new collision craze. "I'm not a social media man so I don't know too much about it." Asked whether it could affect perceptions of the NRL, Webster said he didn't want to make an uneducated statement. "I honestly don't know enough about it, any contact sport should be done in a safe environment, but I'm focused on our game." Former Warrior and current club mentor Manu Vatuvei spoke at the second night of trials. "I know a lot of people hate it, and a lot of people love it. I'm one of those people who love it," he said at the time. Other notable athletes to have previously endorsed RunIt include current UFC light heavyweights Carlos Ulberg and Navajo Stirling. Former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clarke, the Pasifika engagement manager for NZ Rugby told Checkpoint Satterthwaite's death was a tragedy. Regulations that focus on health and safety need to be put in place, Clarke said. His message to young people is: "Don't do it, there's too much risk involved, we've seen now the extreme of it and the high risk that it brings - head trauma and other things that it brings as well." Saveatama Eroni Clarke. Photo: Supplied "I think about my own children and I think about Caleb and I'm thinking about his brothers and I'm thinking well certainly if there is a contact sport that I want them to play it's rugby." Young people who want to play a contact sport should join rugby, where there is good coaching and safety is in mind, he said. His message to high profile players is: "We can't be seen to support something like this."
1News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- 1News
New Run It competition makes NZ debut, fears over brain injury risk
The controversial new sport Run It made its New Zealand debut in west Auckland last night, but some are concerned about the risk of brain injuries. The Run It Championship League took inspiration from the physical collisions seen during rugby league or union games as two participants – a runner and tackler – stand at each end of a 20m by 4m field and run toward each other at speed. Event organiser Billy Coffey said the goal was to "either run over your defender or take out the ball runner". "There's nowhere to hide, it's you one-on-one. And usually as a player you have 13 or 15 other people on the field, not anymore," he said. It had held several events in Australia offering thousands of dollars in prize money to the winners, and has gained social media attention and endorsements from former players. Former NRL player George Burgess told 1News when he stepped away from rugby, he felt like he had lost something. "With Run It, it gives retired athletes like me [a way] to tap in to that thing you love about sport," he said. However, Auckland University neuroscientist Helen Murray said the likelihood of injury was "much higher" in a sport where the intent was to collide. "When you have these sorts of collisions, even if your head isn't directly involved, we have what you call a head acceleration event. "So the brain is bouncing around in your skull [and] the risk of that causing damage, concussion or worse is even higher," she said. Coffey said there were strict measures in place to keep people safe. "Everyone signs a waiver, everyone gets a medical check, there's doctors on site and you know that risk. But it's also the daring nature of it." He said he doesn't want to see competitors knocked out. "It's really brought the community together everywhere we go, and that's why we do it."
