A competitor in a recent “run it straight” reportedly suffered a serious head injury and seizure after a collision.
Run it straight winner naive
Vulangi Olosoni, a competitor in the Auckland “run it straight” event was forced to retire due to a concussion. Despite this, two weeks later he was asked to go to Dubai as a wildcard for the final. title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/run-it-straight-200k-dubai-winner-apologises-after-kiwi-teens-death-linked-to-controversial-sport/HT3BATMHWNELZG63F7RECDLPTY/">He won and received A$200,000 ($220,000).
Rather naively he says they were safe there.
“We had doctors, nurses, a physio and made sure the referees were well trained in CPR and stuff like that.” None of those people would prevent a person from getting a concussion or being badly hurt, they’re not doing the challenge. Olosoni said that three competitors had to retire because of being concussed, including one “who suffered a serious head injury and subsequent seizure after a collision”.
Olosoni says he’s not sure if he’ll compete in the next event that’s to be held in the coming months. I’d suggest he’d be wise to quit while he’s ahead. He’s won a lot of money, he’s been concussed once, and should that happen again he could end up with a brain injury.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
‘Outlandish behaviour’
If anyone thinks that the Green Party leaders are standing up for the poor and dispossessed, such as the Palestine citizens, they are deluding themselves.
We have seen time and again that this party is only interested in outlandish behaviour, which has nothing to do with standing up for the less fortunate members of our society.
The recent Green Party budget, which would, if introduced, remove large sums of money from those of us who have worked hard all our lives and give it to many who have no intention of ever getting a proper job or improving themselves, speaks volumes. The only part of the Green Party that shows their true intentions is the politics of envy for those who have had to educate and work hard for what they now have in society.
Bruce Woodley, Birkenhead.
Public sector pay ‘nonsense’
The Government’s reasoning that public sector board and chair pay must be in line with the private sector is utter nonsense. The private sector pays for performance and achievements measured against rigorously designed KPIs.
We have a long-standing history in New Zealand of underachieving, overspending public sector boards. New Zealand is a small country with a relatively large and complex administrative structure funded by struggling taxpayers. We cannot afford underperformance and unaccountability.
Sadhana Reddy, Lynfield.
TV interview tactic
Regular watchers of TV news will have noticed that whenever TVNZ 1 interviews Chris Hipkins, they do so indoors. Presumably this is to prevent him from being struck by lightning after he has said something?
Phil Chitty, Albany.
Battling Mother Nature
Every night on the news we see that the world is engulfed in forest fires that are obviously pumping huge amounts of poison into the atmosphere.
Surely this will contribute to global warming and seriously negate any emissions savings that we are trying to achieve? Add to this all the poisonous gases from the many volcanic eruptions and it would appear Mother Nature is working against us and winning.
Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki.
Regional councils should go
Recent comment by the Government to cap rates increases and to get rid of the regional councils is the best move before the next general election.
Why should the ratepayers pay two rates, where we pay for councillors and the work is duplicated? Same as District Health Boards, regional councils should go.
When the rates are going up, rents are going up; we also need an experienced mayor to control the expenditure and run the city.
Mano Manoharan, Hamilton.
Shops raise suspicion
On the topic of organised crime, has anyone else noticed shops, mostly beauty parlours and barber shops, that get fitted out and then never or rarely open their doors? I can think of several such “businesses”. I strongly suspect these shops are being used to launder money.
Shane McDowall, Rotorua.
Keep the faith
The Warriors’ character-building win over the Dragons restored the faith of their fans and provided credibility for their run to the finals.
Full credit to a team that has in the past so often failed to show the required level of determination and professionalism. This indeed ... “could be our year”.
Larry Mitchell, Rothesay Bay.