Latest news with #RUNIT
1News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- 1News
Run It Championship final moved from Auckland to Dubai
The organisers of the controversial Run It competition have announced its final will be moved from Auckland to Dubai, offering a prize of $200,000 to the winner. It comes amid calls for the activity to be banned. Brain health experts have been highly critical of the events, and criticisms of it have grown following the death of a 19-year-old, who was killed while playing an impromptu version of the game, which had been popularised on social media. In a post to Instagram, the Australia-based Runit Championship League, which organised two events in Auckland, revealed its final would be held in Dubai instead of Auckland later this month. George Burgess, a former NRL star and England international who had been working with the organisation, told NZ Herald the organisation would pay for the finalists' flights to the Middle East. ADVERTISEMENT A man takes a tackle while participating in an Auckland RUNIT event. (Source: Photosport) Run It held two trial events at Trusts Arena last month, where the winners took home $20,000. The venue pulled out of hosting the final, citing safety concerns. Run It advertised itself as the world's "fiercest, new collision sport". Participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear, running at each other and attempting to "dominate the collision". The game came under increased scrutiny following the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite, who died in hospital after suffering a serious head injury playing an impromptu version of it. Its arrival on New Zealand shores led to worries about brain injuries. ADVERTISEMENT Stacey Mowbray, chief executive of brain injury support group Headway, called the activity "dangerous by design", describing it on Breakfast as 'glamorised, glorified, intentional violence'. Stacey Mowbray of Headway said Ryan Satterthwaite's death was an 'absolute tragedy' but wasn't surprised it happened. (Source: 1News) 'There is no way to do this safely." She said the activity carried a risk of 'immediate brain injury' or death for the participants Following Satterthwaite's death, RUNIT said its events followed established protocols, which included the screening of participants for suitability, strict guidelines around where and how to tackle (between the shoulders and hips only), as well as having medical support and assessments both during and after competition. "Any contact sport like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities should only be held in highly controlled environments, which include professional medical supervision and support. "We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be done under the strict conditions outlined above in sanctioned RUNIT events."
Sydney Morning Herald
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The seven friends taking Run It Straight from the schoolyard to the world
RUNIT has held two events to date, one in Melbourne's Pavilion and the other in Auckland's Trust Arena. The next event, which will be held overseas at a venue yet to be confirmed, will offer prizemoney of $200,000 for the winner, $50,000 for second place and $25,000 for third. From humble beginnings, the company now employs coaches, recruiters, doctors, marketing, public relations and event managers. 'We are a start-up company,' a RUNIT spokesperson said. 'And like most start-ups we have brought in some investors who believe in the product. The initial investment is aimed at growing our brand internationally.' Former South Sydney Rabbitohs star George Burgess and Fijian former rugby player Nemani Nadolo competed against each other in RUNIT's first event in Melbourne and are now representatives of the company. 'I think it's a great concept. I always loved that part of the game, the kickoff carries and the collision,' said Burgess on Channel 10's The Project earlier this month. 'I think there's some improvements we can definitely make, with making sure the competitors are prepared and ready to go, and they've got the right technique.' Despite its big-name backers and booming popularity, the Run It Straight craze has drawn criticism after 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died attempting a tackle in a backyard in New Zealand. Concussion experts say brain injury can still occur without direct hits to the head, and medical treatment afterwards is too late. 'We have some real concerns around what is known as second impact syndrome where an impact of the brain can put it into vulnerable state, and then a short time after if they get another hit to the brain it will certainly result in death – and that's what we saw in New Zealand the weekend before,' said concussion expert Alan Pearce, a professor at Melbourne's Swinburne University. RUNIT says their competitions are carried out under strict supervision and that all their competitors are experienced. They do not encourage anyone to copy their events. 'We were devastated to learn of the tragic death of Ryan Satterthwaite … this is a tragic reminder that any contact sport like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities should only be held in highly controlled environments, which include professional medical supervision and support,' said a RUNIT spokesperson. RUNIT says all its participants are screened for suitability before competing in different weight classes, and only tackles between the shoulders and hips are allowed. The company provides technique training and have qualified medical support on site during and after each round. UTS Sports marketing expert Dr Andy West believes RUNIT needs to maintain its social media momentum if it is to become a legitimate sport. 'There is that element of danger [in Run It Straight events], and real injury there, this sort of gladiatorial side of things that people are attracted to,' said West. 'They'll have to be able to get that balance. '[In order to] remain legitimate and keep that sort of social contagion that's going that people are interested to watch, they'll need to be keep that real level of excitement, but also that dangerous element to it.' Loading RUNIT attributes its success to the short, sharp, explosive nature of the contests, which make it perfect to share across social media such TikTok and Instagram. Their next goal is to take RUNIT to the US. 'It is new, it is exciting, it's short form, and it is daring,' the spokesperson said. 'There is a level of understanding and skill required to participate, but there's also brute strength and bravery. We believe the RUNIT Championship League has enormous potential to be the next big sports and entertainment product.'
The Age
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
The seven friends taking Run It Straight from the schoolyard to the world
RUNIT has held two events to date, one in Melbourne's Pavilion and the other in Auckland's Trust Arena. The next event, which will be held overseas at a venue yet to be confirmed, will offer prizemoney of $200,000 for the winner, $50,000 for second place and $25,000 for third. From humble beginnings, the company now employs coaches, recruiters, doctors, marketing, public relations and event managers. 'We are a start-up company,' a RUNIT spokesperson said. 'And like most start-ups we have brought in some investors who believe in the product. The initial investment is aimed at growing our brand internationally.' Former South Sydney Rabbitohs star George Burgess and Fijian former rugby player Nemani Nadolo competed against each other in RUNIT's first event in Melbourne and are now representatives of the company. 'I think it's a great concept. I always loved that part of the game, the kickoff carries and the collision,' said Burgess on Channel 10's The Project earlier this month. 'I think there's some improvements we can definitely make, with making sure the competitors are prepared and ready to go, and they've got the right technique.' Despite its big-name backers and booming popularity, the Run It Straight craze has drawn criticism after 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died attempting a tackle in a backyard in New Zealand. Concussion experts say brain injury can still occur without direct hits to the head, and medical treatment afterwards is too late. 'We have some real concerns around what is known as second impact syndrome where an impact of the brain can put it into vulnerable state, and then a short time after if they get another hit to the brain it will certainly result in death – and that's what we saw in New Zealand the weekend before,' said concussion expert Alan Pearce, a professor at Melbourne's Swinburne University. RUNIT says their competitions are carried out under strict supervision and that all their competitors are experienced. They do not encourage anyone to copy their events. 'We were devastated to learn of the tragic death of Ryan Satterthwaite … this is a tragic reminder that any contact sport like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities should only be held in highly controlled environments, which include professional medical supervision and support,' said a RUNIT spokesperson. RUNIT says all its participants are screened for suitability before competing in different weight classes, and only tackles between the shoulders and hips are allowed. The company provides technique training and have qualified medical support on site during and after each round. UTS Sports marketing expert Dr Andy West believes RUNIT needs to maintain its social media momentum if it is to become a legitimate sport. 'There is that element of danger [in Run It Straight events], and real injury there, this sort of gladiatorial side of things that people are attracted to,' said West. 'They'll have to be able to get that balance. '[In order to] remain legitimate and keep that sort of social contagion that's going that people are interested to watch, they'll need to be keep that real level of excitement, but also that dangerous element to it.' Loading RUNIT attributes its success to the short, sharp, explosive nature of the contests, which make it perfect to share across social media such TikTok and Instagram. Their next goal is to take RUNIT to the US. 'It is new, it is exciting, it's short form, and it is daring,' the spokesperson said. 'There is a level of understanding and skill required to participate, but there's also brute strength and bravery. We believe the RUNIT Championship League has enormous potential to be the next big sports and entertainment product.'
7NEWS
10-06-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Run It Straight league holding a $200k competition despite health warnings
A Run It Straight competition is going ahead despite warnings from health bodies about the dangers of the sport. The Runit Championship League will award $200,000 to the winner of its RUNIT02 competition. In the sport, a runner and a tackler run at each other at top speed on a 'battlefield' that is 20m x 4m in dimensions. The loser is the one who is knocked out. The death of a New Zealand teenager last month shone a spotlight on the dangerous activity. Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, was rushed to hospital with serious head injuries and died on May 26 after playing the 'combat sport'. Police Manawatu area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said Satterthwaite, from Palmerston North on New Zealand's North Island, took part in an impromptu version of the game and his death is an 'absolute tragedy'. In response to Satterthwaite's death, Runit Championship League said the sport 'should only be held in highly controlled environments, which include professional medical supervision and support'. 'All RUNIT events follow established protocols including screening of participants for suitability, strict guidelines around where and how to tackle (between the shoulders and hips only), with qualified medical support and medical assessments conducted both during and after competition. 'We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be done under the strict conditions outlined above in sanctioned RUNIT events.' 'Beer and head injuries don't mix' In May, two men were knocked unconscious and required medical attention during a game. Both men were knocked out, and one appeared to have a seizure, as they competed for an $18,500 cash prize. A leading concussion expert last month urged NRL fans to stop this activity after vision surfaced of a crowd engaging in Run It Straight at a Manly Sea Eagles game. Security reportedly stepped in when fans ran at each other on the hill at Brookvale Oval late in Manly's win over Brisbane on May 31. Sea Eagles chief executive Tony Mestrov said anyone found to have been involved will be banned. Dr Alan Pearce, who has worked with NRL players on concussions, said he is 'still speechless'. 'I'm pretty appalled by what we're seeing and I'm really concerned about the health of the people undertaking this activity,' he told Sunrise. 'There's no medical attention nearby if something happened.' Pearce said it was made worse by the apparent levels of intoxication. 'Beer and head injuries do not mix,' he said. 'This is what we're seeing now and this is something we've been concerned about surrounding the Run It events. 'Things like this will be happening everywhere now and they're not checked properly. That's the concern.' Do not try Run It at home While some of those filmed participating at the NRL game appeared to be grown men, Pearce said he fears for kids and even young adults involved in the trend. 'The damage to a young brain is potentially profound and catastrophic,' he said. 'With young people, kids up to the age of 20, there's a risk of what we call 'second impact syndrome'. 'Even though you might get a hit to the head and not necessarily think that there's anything going on, having a second hit to the head in a rapid time period after — it might be a few minutes, it could be 15 minutes — could be potentially life-threatening. 'This is something we are really worried about.' Other experts have also slammed the trend. Injury prevention expert Professor Patria Hume called the trend a 'reckless and dangerous spectacle' and 'a step backwards' in sport safety. 'We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports,' she said. 'This event ignores all of that.' Following Satterthwaite's death, top sports neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce said the loss of life was sadly inevitable. 'This was a matter of time, really, as sad as that is to say,' Pearce told News Corp. 'The concern is that this can happen at any level. Even in the sanctioned Run It events, someone will probably die in that at some point as well. 'It can't be done safely and when there's kids and teens that see it, they like to copy what they see online, and this is something that absolutely not should be copied. 'It is the biggest 'please do not try this at home' disclaimer, if I've ever seen one'.
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.
