It has already led to the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite in Palmerston North last month after he took part in a copycat event where he suffered serious head injuries.
“Marketed as a test of strength, toughness and masculinity, this backyard tackle challenge is neither a sport nor harmless fun. It is a ritualised, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,” the editorial read.
“Videos of these collisions, frequently shared on social media, celebrate the moment someone is knocked unconscious or left unable to get up.”
The Herald first reported on the controversial trend in April after a man was knocked unconscious and suffered an apparent seizure during an event in Australia, as hundreds of children watched on.
The incident, which was captured on video by a group of Australian content creators, shows the ball runner copping a shoulder to the head before slumping to the floor and suffering what appeared to be an involuntary, repeat arm-jerking movement on the ground as he is crowded by hundreds of spectators, including children.
The trend has since exploded on social media, gaining millions of views before arriving on New Zealand shores. The leading organisation, the self-proclaimed “future and home of collision sports”, is the Australian-based Runit Championship League.
It hosted two “trial events” at Trusts Arena last month, giving away $20,000 cash prizes to the winners, in anticipation of a final at the same venue earlier this month. But the West Auckland venue pulled out of hosting the final, citing safety concerns.
Now, the final has been shifted to Dubai – with A$200,000, A$50,000 and A$25,000 for first, second and third place respectively.
The Runit Championship League earlier told the Herald it had a responsibility to inform followers about the risks involved.
“Just like any contact sport, like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities, we remind everyone that this should only be done in highly controlled environments, which include professional medical supervision and support.
“We will only chose athletes with experience in rugby union or rugby league and always ensure our athletes understand the rules and risks associated with the Runit Championship event.”
‘Significant acute and long-term injury’
Leading doctors across New Zealand and Australia have condemned run it straight from the outset, with particular concerns about the risks of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neurodegeneration.
“Repetitive collisions of this kind increase the likelihood of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease observed in athletes across multiple high-impact sports,” the NZMJ editorial read.
“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 sub-concussive impacts over time, it said, lead to cognitive decline, memory loss, mood disorders and parkinsonism.
“The parallels of run it straight are clear – deliberate, repeated impacts to the head in unregulated environments without medical oversight ... Run it straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury.”
The NZMJ said each year, about 36,000 people in New Zealand sustain a traumatic brain injury, with about 20% of those attributed to sports and recreational activities.
“The consequences of these injuries ripple far beyond the moment of impact.
“Families bear [the] burden of long-term care. Communities lose promising young lives to preventable disability or death. The healthcare system – already under strain – must absorb the financial and workforce costs of treating what are ultimately avoidable injuries.”
No merit to justify brain, spinal harm risk
The NZMJ editorial, written by Christchurch Hospital surgical registrar Sarah Logan, trauma nurse co-ordinator Rachel Lauchlan and surgery and critical care lecturer and surgeon Christopher Wakeman, said run it straight raises “serious ethical concerns” while deliberately encouraging forceful, unprotected collisions for entertainment or status.
“Organisers have claimed these events ‘give back’ to the community, but this is misleading,” the editorial said.
“There is no meaningful community benefit to justify the significant risk of brain or spinal injury. The narrative of service is a veneer, one that distracts from the real costs.”
It called run it straight a “cultural issue” that taps into outdated ideals of masculinity, where strength is proven through pain and dominance.
“Young men are pressured to earn respect through violence, and injury is glorified as a badge of honour. We must dismantle this idea.
“Giving back to the community should never come at the cost of our young people’s lives or long-term health.
“As trauma clinicians, we witness the aftermath. We speak with grieving families. We know the names behind the numbers.
“Let this be the last death.”
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
