Latest news with #collisionSport
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Commercialising concussion': The Australians taking a backyard collision game global
"Defender ready?" calls the host. A thumbs up and moments later, two burly men - with no protective gear - run full speed at each other before they clash, the unmistakable sound of flesh and bone crunching. Advertisement The crowd erupts into a collective roar, some cheering, others wincing. This is the moment they've been waiting for - and it's exactly this adrenaline-fuelled energy that organisers of the Run It Championship League are banking on to help bring what they call the "world's fiercest, new collision sport" to global audiences. It is a supercharged version of a one-on-one tackle game which originated in the backyards and school playgrounds of Australia and New Zealand - namely in Pacific Islander communities. One person carrying a ball must "run it straight" at the defender, who is also sprinting towards them: they are not allowed to duck, hurdle or sidestep the tackler. Advertisement Videos of the game have recently gone viral, and the founders of the Run It league have capitalised on the surge of interest - they say they've gained millions of views online, won over thousands of fans, attracted big name sponsors, and even inspired rival competitions. They've held jousts in Melbourne and Auckland, and on Saturday another will take place in a Dubai arena, the winner taking away prize money of A$200,000 (£98,000). Next on their agenda, is an expansion to the UK and US. But the groundswell of support for the league is increasingly being rivalled by critical voices. Medical experts and sporting figures are worried about the physical and mental health impacts of the game. The game has been copied in a wider social media craze which is accused of already claiming one life. "It's like shaking a baby," says Peter Satterthwaite, whose teenage nephew died after copying the game at a party. From the schoolyard to the world stage The objective of the game is simple: be the person who "dominates" the contact, as deemed by a panel of three judges. Advertisement Two of the league's seven co-founders, Brandon Taua'a and Stephen Hancock, tell the BBC they have fond memories of playing the game as teenagers in Melbourne. "I used to 'run it straight' at Brandon all the time," Hancock says, joking that the pair would usually try to avoid hitting each other straight on. There'll be none of that this weekend, when the eight finalists compete for that giant cash prize in United Arab Emirates. Hancock insists Run It is a "game of skill" - "[It's] all about the footwork" - but there's no denying the violent nature of it. Advertisement A quick scroll of the league's social media accounts shows dozens of quick-burst videos, all honing in on the explosive action of two men colliding. In other videos circulating from the events, several competitors are knocked out and require immediate medical attention. Taua'a acknowledges the sport comes with risks, but the league has safety protocols to minimise them. Competitors are screened, undergoing medical assessments – such as blood tests and a physical exam – and they must also send a recent video of themselves playing a sport that features tackling. Medical staff are also on the sidelines of the events. Advertisement "There's an element of danger with surfing, with boxing and many other sports as well," Taua'a argues. For Champ Betham - who won NZ$20,000 earlier this month at the competition in Auckland and is gunning for the title in Dubai on Saturday – the element of danger is but a secondary consideration. "This is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours' work," he told Radio New Zealand at the time. "We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." Warriors halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita is one of the rugby players promoting Run It [Getty Images] The money involved, for a league which has only been around for six months, is impressive. Along with the prize fund, competitors' travel and accommodation expenses are being paid. A 1,600-seat arena has been booked. The league has a slick social media account, a PR representative, and a bunch of promoters - including antipodean sports stars. Advertisement Its initial financial backers have been described only as "a group of local investors who believe in the product", but bigger names are emerging: days before the Dubai event, the league announced it had secured a major sponsor in online gambling platform banned in key markets like Australia and the UK. There are also ongoing talks with potential US investors, including a contact linked to American podcaster and UFC heavyweight Joe Rogan, which Taua'a says "will definitely help" the league build a presence in the US. They will need big backers to match their ambitions for the contest, which they argue is more than just a fleeting social media trend. "This could actually eventuate into a sport that could sit [in a class] with MMA and boxing," Hancock says. 'An innocuous crash' But as Taua'a and Hancock focus on the competition's future ambitions, more and more voices are questioning its safety. Advertisement "They might as well set up smoking as a legitimate sport," says neuroscientist Alan Pearce. Speaking to the BBC from the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, Peter Satterthwaite is unequivocal. "It's not a sport," he says. It's "a dangerous activity" designed purely "to hurt the guy in front of you". His 19-year-old nephew Ryan was celebrating a 21st birthday with friends at a local park when they decided to try the game they'd seen all over their social media feeds. Ryan did two tackles. Neither he or his friend fell down or clashed heads. But as he walked away, he told his mates he didn't feel well, his uncle recounts. Advertisement "[Ryan] was coherent for a bit, then he lay down and his eyes just rolled back in his head." Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, was the youngest of three brothers who all grew up playing rugby [Pete Satterthwaite] Friends rushed him to hospital where doctors had to "cut a sizable chunk out of his skull" to alleviate pressure caused by brain swelling, Satterthwaite says. "I saw him on the ventilator, his chest going up and down as he was breathing, and it was like 'Get up! Open your eyes'." On Monday evening, just a day after he was playing with his mates, Ryan's life support was turned off in a hospital room filled with loved ones. "It was just an innocuous clash," Ryan's uncle says, "and it just shows you how fragile life is and how fragile your brain is." Advertisement Run It understands the dangers of contact sports and takes safety seriously. Weeks after Ryan's death, the league posted a video saying the game is "not for the backyard, not for the street". "Do not try this at home," they said. But Satterthwaite doubts that warning will have much impact. "I don't think there's a sport in the world that people don't do at the beach, or in their backyard, or at the park." It's not just the physical impacts that worry Shenei Panaia. Mental health worker Shenei Penaia says she used to see versions of 'run it straight' tackles during her school years [Shenei Panaia] As a Samoan growing up in Australia, she would often see schoolkids playing the game as a bit of fun. But the mental health worker fears it reinforces "a version of masculinity where silence is strength, and violence is proof of pride". Advertisement "It sends a dangerous message to young men that their worth is based on how much pain they can take. That if you're not tough, you don't belong." And the league's attempt to turn this into a lucrative spectator sport contradicts the values of many in the Pacific Islander community, Penaia says. "We are taught to look out for one another... and to make decisions that serve more than just ourselves." 'Blood in the air' Their concerns are echoed by a pack of concussion experts and sporting figures. For more than a decade, the world of high-impact sports has been introducing safety measures as the research into brain injuries develops. Advertisement Official bodies including Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby have warned people not to take part, with the New Zealand Prime Minister also weighing in, saying it's a "dumb thing to do". Neuroscientist Pearce argues Run It magnifies "the most violent aspects of our established sport", while the safety protocols do little to minimise any risk. Blood tests and physical exams cannot predict a brain injury, and catastrophic damage can occur even without a direct hit to the head. "I can't see how running at 25km an hour straight at each other without stopping is safe," he tells the BBC. "It's as simple as that." There's the risk of immediate concussion, Dr Pearce says, delayed onset brain injuries like Ryan Satterthwaite's, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. They can lead to cognitive impairments, movement disorders, dementia, depression. Advertisement "[They're] basically using the collision as the entertainment value, which is, in effect, commercialising concussion," he concludes. But a spokesperson for the league - who argues it is "not about masculinity" but "strength and skill" - say organisers have no intention of slowing down, and aren't too worried about their critics. Taua'a says what happens at their competitions is "not too much different" to what you see on televised rugby matches, and – with their protocols – it is far safer than many of the games played in backyards the world over. "It's quite new for viewers and it might take some time for them to get used to seeing what we've put together."
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Run It Straight: The Australians trying to turn a backyard tackle into a global sport
"Defender ready?" calls the host.A thumbs up and moments later, two burly men - with no protective gear - run full speed at each other before they clash, the unmistakable sound of flesh and bone crowd erupts into a collective roar, some cheering, others is the moment they've been waiting for - and it's exactly this adrenaline-fuelled energy that organisers of the Run It Championship League are banking on to help bring what they call the "world's fiercest, new collision sport" to global is a supercharged version of a one-on-one tackle game which originated in the backyards and school playgrounds of Australia and New Zealand - namely in Pacific Islander person carrying a ball must "run it straight" at the defender, who is also sprinting towards them: they are not allowed to duck, hurdle or sidestep the of the game have recently gone viral, and the founders of the Run It league have capitalised on the surge of interest - they say they've gained millions of views online, won over thousands of fans, attracted big name sponsors, and even inspired rival held jousts in Melbourne and Auckland, and on Saturday another will take place in a Dubai arena, the winner taking away prize money of A$200,000 (£98,000). Next on their agenda, is an expansion to the UK and the groundswell of support for the league is increasingly being rivalled by critical voices. Medical experts and sporting figures are worried about the physical and mental health impacts of the game. The game has been copied in a wider social media craze which is accused of already claiming one life."It's like shaking a baby," says Peter Satterthwaite, whose teenage nephew died after copying the game at a party. From the schoolyard to the world stage The objective of the game is simple: be the person who "dominates" the contact, as deemed by a panel of three of the league's seven co-founders, Brandon Taua'a and Stephen Hancock, tell the BBC they have fond memories of playing the game as teenagers in Melbourne."I used to 'run it straight' at Brandon all the time," Hancock says, joking that the pair would usually try to avoid hitting each other straight be none of that this weekend, when the eight finalists compete for that giant cash prize in United Arab insists Run It is a "game of skill" - "[It's] all about the footwork" - but there's no denying the violent nature of it.A quick scroll of the league's social media accounts shows dozens of quick-burst videos, all honing in on the explosive action of two men other videos circulating from the events, several competitors are knocked out and require immediate medical acknowledges the sport comes with risks, but the league has safety protocols to minimise are screened, undergoing medical assessments – such as blood tests and a physical exam – and they must also send a recent video of themselves playing a sport that features tackling. Medical staff are also on the sidelines of the events."There's an element of danger with surfing, with boxing and many other sports as well," Taua'a Champ Betham - who won NZ$20,000 earlier this month at the competition in Auckland and is gunning for the title in Dubai on Saturday – the element of danger is but a secondary consideration."This is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours' work," he told Radio New Zealand at the time."We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." The money involved, for a league which has only been around for six months, is impressive. Along with the prize fund, competitors' travel and accommodation expenses are being paid. A 1,600-seat arena has been booked. The league has a slick social media account, a PR representative, and a bunch of promoters - including antipodean sports initial financial backers have been described only as "a group of local investors who believe in the product", but bigger names are emerging: days before the Dubai event, the league announced it had secured a major sponsor in online gambling platform banned in key markets like Australia and the are also ongoing talks with potential US investors, including a contact linked to American podcaster and UFC heavyweight Joe Rogan, which Taua'a says "will definitely help" the league build a presence in the will need big backers to match their ambitions for the contest, which they argue is more than just a fleeting social media trend."This could actually eventuate into a sport that could sit [in a class] with MMA and boxing," Hancock says. 'An innocuous crash' But as Taua'a and Hancock focus on the competition's future ambitions, more and more voices are questioning its safety."They might as well set up smoking as a legitimate sport," says neuroscientist Alan to the BBC from the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, Peter Satterthwaite is unequivocal."It's not a sport," he says. It's "a dangerous activity" designed purely "to hurt the guy in front of you".His 19-year-old nephew Ryan was celebrating a 21st birthday with friends at a local park when they decided to try the game they'd seen all over their social media did two tackles. Neither he or his friend fell down or clashed heads. But as he walked away, he told his mates he didn't feel well, his uncle recounts."[Ryan] was coherent for a bit, then he lay down and his eyes just rolled back in his head." Friends rushed him to hospital where doctors had to "cut a sizable chunk out of his skull" to alleviate pressure caused by brain swelling, Satterthwaite says."I saw him on the ventilator, his chest going up and down as he was breathing, and it was like 'Get up! Open your eyes'."On Monday evening, just a day after he was playing with his mates, Ryan's life support was turned off in a hospital room filled with loved ones."It was just an innocuous clash," Ryan's uncle says, "and it just shows you how fragile life is and how fragile your brain is."Run It understands the dangers of contact sports and takes safety seriously. Weeks after Ryan's death, the league posted a video saying the game is "not for the backyard, not for the street"."Do not try this at home," they Satterthwaite doubts that warning will have much impact."I don't think there's a sport in the world that people don't do at the beach, or in their backyard, or at the park."It's not just the physical impacts that worry Shenei Panaia. As a Samoan growing up in Australia, she would often see schoolkids playing the game as a bit of fun. But the mental health worker fears it reinforces "a version of masculinity where silence is strength, and violence is proof of pride"."It sends a dangerous message to young men that their worth is based on how much pain they can take. That if you're not tough, you don't belong."And the league's attempt to turn this into a lucrative spectator sport contradicts the values of many in the Pacific Islander community, Penaia says."We are taught to look out for one another... and to make decisions that serve more than just ourselves." 'Blood in the air' Their concerns are echoed by a pack of concussion experts and sporting more than a decade, the world of high-impact sports has been introducing safety measures as the research into brain injuries bodies including Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby have warned people not to take part, with the New Zealand Prime Minister also weighing in, saying it's a "dumb thing to do".Neuroscientist Pearce argues Run It magnifies "the most violent aspects of our established sport", while the safety protocols do little to minimise any risk. Blood tests and physical exams cannot predict a brain injury, and catastrophic damage can occur even without a direct hit to the head. "I can't see how running at 25km an hour straight at each other without stopping is safe," he tells the BBC. "It's as simple as that."There's the risk of immediate concussion, Dr Pearce says, delayed onset brain injuries like Ryan Satterthwaite's, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. They can lead to cognitive impairments, movement disorders, dementia, depression."[They're] basically using the collision as the entertainment value, which is, in effect, commercialising concussion," he a spokesperson for the league - who argues it is "not about masculinity" but "strength and skill" - say organisers have no intention of slowing down, and aren't too worried about their says what happens at their competitions is "not too much different" to what you see on televised rugby matches, and – with their protocols – it is far safer than many of the games played in backyards the world over."It's quite new for viewers and it might take some time for them to get used to seeing what we've put together."
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Run it straight' competition announces event with $200k prize despite warnings about viral challenge's head trauma risk
The organisers of a 'run it straight' competition, in which men deliberately collide with each other, are planning another match despite a neuroscientist and concussion expert's warning about the social-media-fuelled contest's dangers. The RUNIT Championship League promised $200,000 in prize money for the next bout in an Instagram post that was published on its official account on Sunday. The league's clashes, which it describes as 'the world's fiercest, new collision sport', see two men – one carrying a rugby ball – charge at each other. While the rules are meant to prevent head contact, videos show that is not always avoided, while experts say concussion can still occur as the brain is thrown against the skull. RUNIT says the competition was 'born to go viral' and had 'taken social media by storm with tens of millions of views' with amateur copycats posting their own incidents online. Earlier this month, a 19-year-old New Zealand man died from a critical head injury after playing a tackle game that police said was 'based on a social-media-driven trend, where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear'. RUNIT has held trials and training sessions in Auckland on 19 and 21 May as well as one competition in Melbourne on 30 April with $20,000 in prize money. On the weekend, RUNIT asked its 180,000 Instagram followers to guess where the next game will be, using the hashtag 'runitgoingglobal'. It's not the first sign of the company's global ambitions. Scheduled events on the website – since removed – included shows in New Zealand, the US, Saudi Arabia and England. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming was at the Melbourne show when one participant was knocked out, and smacked his head on the concrete floor on the way down. She told the Guardian she was grateful for the invitation, but found herself unable to continue watching, and subsequently left during an interval. 'I know there are issues with concussion in many sports,' she said. 'I didn't want to make a scene or offend them, but I just personally couldn't handle seeing and hearing them get hurt.' Rugby Australia told Code Sports it 'does not condone the concept' of Run It Straight and 'wants absolutely nothing to do with it'. In the wake of the teenager's death, the New Zealand Rugby League said it was 'concerning to see people in these events putting themselves at risk of serious injury'. The Roar also reported that the Melbourne Storm forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who promoted the event, had withdrawn his support over concerns about safety measures. Asofa-Solomona was now promoting a different game, Big Steppa, in which the goal is to score tries which a defender can stop by touching the attacker with both hands. Several companies that were listed as RUNIT's 'partners' are no longer on the website, although one said they were only sponsoring the first game. The most high-profile sponsors, Ultra Tune and Foot Locker, did not answer questions about their ongoing support. RUNIT credits Foot Locker with providing gear and gift cards for prizes. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The Ultra Tune logo has featured on the sidelines, on RUNIT's Instagram and on players' T-shirts. The challenge is popular among the Pacific Island diaspora, some of whom reportedly trace it back to their childhood. Recently, two organised competitions have sprung up – Run It Straight 24, which bills itself as the original, and RUNIT, which bills itself as the 'home of collisions'. On their Instagram page, RUNIT writes that 'safety is paramount'. 'We are committed to the health, safety, and wellbeing of every athlete who represents our brand,' the post says. 'We recognise that competing at the highest level comes with physical risks, and we firmly believe that no athlete should bear the burden of those risks alone.' RUNIT covers all medical expenses 'directly related to injuries sustained while competing', it says, and compensates athletes for any wages lost. Radio New Zealand reported in May that RUNIT had a 20% concussion rate. Prof Alan Pearce, a concussion expert and neuroscientist at Swinburne University, said concussions can cause cognitive impairment and chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the long term, and in the short term can be 'catastrophic'. 'The concern is around second impact syndrome,' he said. 'If a younger person has an injury but doesn't understand they've got a concussion and then a second later they get a second impact, that's catastrophic.' In the competition, players run at each other four times. The organiser of Run It Straight 24 has said they will use head and mouth protection from now on, and that they have paramedics and ambulances on standby. Guardian Australia has asked RUNIT for comment.
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Sonny Bill Williams apologises for posting video about a new viral collision sport - following a 19-year-old's tragic death
Former All Blacks player Sonny Bill Williams has apologised after he published a video on Instagram appearing to show support for a new viral collision sport. 'Run it straight' is a game that challenges two participants to run straight into each other and compete in full-contact collisions. Players win by either tackling an opponent to the floor or by successfully breaking through the tackle as a ball carrier. Last week, a 19-year-old man tragically died after participating in a private game of 'run it straight' with friends in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Ryan Satterthwaite is understood to have suffered a 'serious head injury' and later died in hospital. His uncle also told Stuff that Satterthwaite and his friends were inspired to try the sport after seeing it on social media. Run it straight events have become popular in recent years for their big collisions (pictured) but health experts and government officials have issued concerns over the sport's safety Multiple health professionals have also raised concerns over the dangers of the sport while some 'run it straight' events in New Zealand have been cancelled. Last week, Williams, who played both rugby union and league during his career, shared a clip from his playing days with Canterbury in 2004 on social media. In the video, the former footy player was seen colliding with Penrith's Joel Clinton during a match. He captioned the video 'old school what a hit'. He added: 'Playing run it straight before it was called run it straight.' Williams has since taken to social media to apologise for his comments upon learning of Satterthwaite's passing. 'I put a video up last night, and I just want to ask for forgiveness of the young fulla that passed away,' Williams said on his social media account. 'Please excuse me for my insensitivity. I did not know that had happened. 'I want to talk about it for a second right now. 'I've been asked to collab with the Run it Straight people, or a couple of people and I haven't. 'Simply because I wouldn't put my kids in it. 'I have safety concerns and that's just my thoughts on it.' Williams believes the sport will continue to be played and added the changes he'd like to see implemented to ensure the safety of participants. 'I'd like weight classes and rules around head contact, but also age and experience classes as well,' he said. 'It's gonna carry on, because people love it. It's entertainment. But I'd like to see some heavily controlled safety restrictions come in. 'Once again to the family, my love and regards go out to you guys.' Some run it straight events that were due to take place in New Zealand have been cancelled in recent weeks Another former All Blacks star Ardie Savea has also spoken out on the new sport, encouraging people to be safe, but like Williams, believes run it straight events will continue. 'First and foremost, condolences to the young brother that passed away and his family,' the former World Rugby Player of the Year said. 'I obviously don't want anyone getting hurt and losing lives. 'It's really hard to say, but I'd just encourage people to be safe.' Organisers of the RUNIT Championship, one of the sport's most high-profile competitions, have also spoken out following Satterthwaite's passing. 'We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be performed under strict conditions,' a spokesperson from the RUNIT Championship told Code Sports. Both New Zealand Rugby League and New Zealand Rugby have been forced to distance themselves from the trend and events 'RUNIT is planning future events over the coming months and will continue to educate our followers on the risks associated.' A safety spokesperson for the RUNIT Championship, Billy Coffey, has previously told RNZ that the competition has several safety precautions in place, to reduce the risks associated with the sport. Competitors are required to wear gumshields and head gear is also optional. '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.' Earlier in May, an event, which was being organised by RunItStraight24 at Auckland's Williams Park Mangere was postponed. It comes as the New Zealand government have raised concerns over the safety risks the sport presents and are seeking advice on the matter. Sport NZ CEO Raelene Castle told The New Zealand Herald: '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.' Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell said: 'I have made my concerns clear and have asked officials for advice in terms of what powers and actions can be taken by the Government to respond to unregulated activities and events that pose a significant level of risk.' New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has also urged young adults to take heed of the safety advice being issued by medical professionals. '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. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has expressed his concerns over the sport, which has grown in popularity following its explosion on social media '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 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.' Dr Rowena Mobbs, a neurologist and the founder and director of the Australian CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) Biobank, told Daily Mail Australia that the sport poses 'higher risk scenarios' compared to other contact sports. 'It is a form of harm and it should be avoided,' she said. 'What we have is data worldwide in terms of concussion and CTE with tackling environments. 'We know that a single traumatic brain injury can be devastating for an individual, leading to lifelong disability or death in some instances. This is likely to involve brain swelling or bleeding.' 'In my opinion, this is a higher risk scenario than contact sports like the football codes,' she said. 'That's because participants are running at full speed towards each other with a much greater force of impact than on the footy field. 'Parents who have children engaging in this form of harm need to be acutely aware that there could be serious consequences, even death.' New Zealand Rugby League have since echoed the warnings before distancing themselves from the sport.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A teenager died taking part in this latest internet craze. Here's why a leading brain doctor believes every parent needs to be warned
Australia's leading brain injury expert says an internet craze labelled 'the world's fiercest new collision sport' and which has already killed a teenager is more dangerous than traditional football codes. Run It Straight is a challenge that's gaining popularity with millions of social media users sharing videos of people smashing into each other. The tackle game features two players and involves a ball runner and a tackler standing 20m apart before they run full speed towards each other without protective gear. The aim is to knock the opponent over. It has even been endorsed by some professional rugby players despite warnings that it could give players head trauma and a brain injury. A Run It Straight event was recently hosted in Auckland, with organisers promoting it as 'the world's fiercest new collision sport,' which rewarded 'strength and grit'. More than 1,000 people watched eight men compete for a $20,000 prize. Winners of that competition were supposed to go to Auckland's Trust Arena for a final competition to compete for $250,000. But the stadium canned the event due to the 'overwhelming concern' the trials caused. 'Following the trials, it was clear from commentary that there was overwhelming concern for the high-risk nature of the event,' the arena's general manager said. A 19-year-old from New Zealand died on Monday after suffering a serious head injury in a backyard version of Run It Straight. Ryan Satterthwaite, from Palmerston North, passed away after taking part in the full-contact collision game with friends when the injury occurred. The death sparked renewed calls for the game to be banned. Dr Rowena Mobbs is a neurologist and the founder and director of the Australian CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) Biobank. She slammed the new craze and told Daily Mail Australia that it was 'not a sport'. 'It is a form of harm and it should be avoided,' she said. 'What we have is data worldwide in terms of concussion and CTE with tackling environments. 'We know that a single traumatic brain injury can be devastating for an individual, leading to lifelong disability or death in some instances. This is likely to involve brain swelling or bleeding.' Dr Mobbs said Run It Straight was even more dangerous than rugby league or Aussie Rules in terms of the brain injury risk. 'In my opinion this is a higher risk scenario than contact sports like the football codes,' she said. 'That's because participants are running at full speed towards each other with a much greater force of impact than on the footy field. 'Parents who have children engaging in this form of harm need to be acutely aware that there could be serous consequences, even death.' Participants of Run It Straight aren't supposed to hit each other in the head but even body shots can impact the brain. Dr Mobbs said whiplash was associated with brain injury. 'In boxing, people sign up knowing the head will be hit, but not in Run It Straight,' she said. Dr Mobbs also said simple concussions were more dangerous and debilitating than most people thought. 'We used to believe that the majority of concussions would resolve pretty quickly but the increasing data suggests otherwise,' she said.
