Latest news with #ChampionshipLeague
Herald Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Concussion expert condemns ‘Run It Straight' as barbaric blood sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. Exclusive: A leading concussion expert has slammed the self-styled sport Run It Straight as 'barbaric' and said it has no place in a civilised society. A social media phenomenon, Run It Straight involves participants sprinting into each other with one carrying a football. New Zealand teen Ryan Satterthwaite died from injuries sustained during an impromptu game with friends. Despite widespread backlash, official competitions are emerging on both sides of the Tasman, drawing hundreds to watch combatants on what one 'Championship League' describes as a 20m x 4m 'battlefield', where 'victory belongs to the one who dominates the collision'. Olympic hero and Australian Sports Commission chief executive Kieren Perkins has spoken out against this 'dangerous activity', while Melbourne Storm's Nelson Asofa-Solomona has parted ways with the most high-profile of several outfits organising these official 'challenges'. But that organisation, RUNIT, insists the controversial craze is 'here to stay'. Adrian Cohen, the founding CEO of concussion assessment program Headsafe, said he viewed Run It Straight as 'an activity designed to create a brain injury'. 'I'm hard-pressed to think of a more dangerous pursuit,' he said. 'Perhaps being shot out of a cannon.' Dr Cohen, a former senior lecturer at Sydney University, sits on the advisory board of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, the medical advisory panel of the NSW Combat Sports Authority, and helped create the Australian Sports Brain Bank. Asked if he was surprised by the online popularity of Run It Straight, he replied: 'I'm not, in the same way people thought 2000 years ago that going down to the Colosseum on a Saturday afternoon to watch some Christians being fed to the lions sounded like a good day out. As a culture, we have a history we should not be particularly proud of in enjoying blood sports. 'The idea that we should be creating new ones with what we know about brain health and about the dangers, it's absolutely ludicrous.' Dr Cohen said a major concern was a lack of regulation. 'Unfortunately, this is not a sport and it's certainly not a combat sport that comes under their legislation. So, as a society, we need to look at this and decide it's a bad idea,' he said. 'I don't know who in the government is prepared to put up their hand and say that's the case but if they did there'd be a lot of people that would agree with them, not least the parents and friends of this poor kid in NZ.' A spokesman for NSW Sports Minister Steve Kamper said: 'We can't legislate against every bad idea. If you want to play contact sport, sign up to your local club so you can learn to play in a safe environment'. Mr Perkins said Run It Straight did not align with 'any of our advice when it comes to protecting Australians from concussions and brain injuries'. 'We want all young people to stay active, but it must be done in a safe way. Let's hope, for the sake of our community, this activity is a phase that is quickly moved on from.' Dr Cohen said the risk attached to major collisions was not always well understood. 'There is no such thing as a tough brain,' he warned. 'And concussions don't just happen from a blow to the head but from energy transferred from a blow anywhere – the head or the body – to the head. 'You can also have a second impact if the head is hitting the ground. So someone's just got to say we don't need this.' Michael Bramble, a father of two boys who has connections to Hunters Hill Rugby Club, has major concerns. 'It's just an unsafe risk that kids should not be taking,' Mr Bramble, whose sons are aged three and five, said. 'If my son came home and said he wanted to take part in the challenge, I'd sit down and have a stern conversation with him about why it's unsafe. I'd be quite worried. 'These kinds of online challenges are a real danger, especially when people don't understand the risks.' He said junior rugby clubs worked hard to provide safe, structured environments. 'At this age, kids start with no contact,' he said. 'As they develop, they're slowly introduced to key aspects like tackling, but only when ready.' While it has racked up tens of millions of views since taking off online earlier this year, the phenomenon has more critics than fans. But the controversy has not deterred Melbourne-based RUNIT, which has distanced itself from the fatal tragedy. 'We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be performed under the strict conditions,' a RUNIT spokesman said. 'RUNIT will continue to educate our followers on the risks associated.' RUNIT founder Rennie Lautolo-Molimau also wrote 'We're here to stay' in an Instagram story on Wednesday. Asofa-Solomona was heavily involved in the early days of RUNIT, appearing in a promotional video in February and attending a trial event with teammates Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Will Warbrick in March. While Asofa-Solomona has since parted ways with RUNIT over safety concerns, promotional material featuring him and his teammates remains online. Asofa-Solomona is now promoting a much safer competition called 'Big Steppa'. A spokesman for the Storm, which is not involved with RUNIT, said Papenhuyzen, Hughes and Warbrick had only attended one event to support Asofa-Solomona. The NRL declined to comment on RUNIT, while Rugby Australia said it wanted 'absolutely nothing to do with it.' Originally published as 'Barbaric': Viral social media craze slammed as after teen's death
Courier-Mail
3 days ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Family of teenager who died playing ‘run it straight' make heartbreaking revelation, Ryan Satterthwaite
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News. The family of Ryan Satterthwaite, who tragically died from injuries sustained in a backyard 'run it straight' game, has revealed the teenager and his friends got the idea to play the game after seeing it online. For years the 'run it straight' trend has sporadically gone viral on social media platforms. But in recent months it has transformed from a viral social media trend to a fully-fledged sport, with 'Run it Straight Official' and 'RUNIT Championship League' turning it into a business and holding competitions in Australia and New Zealand. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. The sport involves four rounds of players charging at each other along a 10m grass runway, with each competitor taking turns carrying a rugby ball. The objective is to either successfully tackle the opponent or run them over in a hard-hitting collision. The contest ends when a player is knocked out or concussed. If both players remain standing at the end of four rounds, a judging panel decides the winner, with the key criteria judged being damage to your opponent. But the 'sport' has been controversial due to the violent nature of some of the tackles, as leading neuroscientists warn 'people will die'. And that grave warning has now rang true, with Kiwi teenager Ryan Satterthwaite dying from what was described as an 'innocuous' tackle playing a backyard game of 'run it straight' on the weekend. Ryan Satterthwaite tragically died after participating in the 'run it straight' trend. Image: Supplied According to Ryan's uncle, Peter Satterthwaite, his nephew and his friends decided to try it at a 21st birthday celebration on Sunday after seeing the big hits on social media. 'They decided to give it a go because of what they saw on social media and on the news last week about it,' Satterthwaite told Stuff. Footage of the tackle that resulted in the injuries that would later take the life of Ryan, was given to police. The video of the tackle in question reportedly didn't even hit his head, instead it was the jolting motion of the hit that proved fatal. Satterthwaite says in the aftermath of the game, his nephew was coherent and talking with his friends but soon deteriorated at a rapid rate. An ambulance was called to the home in Palmerston North but he went downhill at such a rate, his friends decided they couldn't wait for it to arrive, rushing him to Palmerston North Hospital. By the time they arrived Ryan had lost consciousness due to the swelling on his brain. He would never wake up. Ryan Satterthwaite pictured. Image: Supplied Dr Alan Pearce warns 'it will happen again' Leading sports neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce told that it was sadly 'only a matter of time' until someone died playing the sport. 'This was a matter of time really as sad as that is to say,' Dr Pearce told on Tuesday. '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. The Run It challenge has taken off in recent months. Image: Run It Championship 'It is the biggest please do not try this at home disclaimer if I've ever seen one'. That message was echoed by Satterthwaite, who told Stuff: 'We can put it all out on social media that this is a silly thing to do. Don't do it but no-one's going to listen to us unless we get celebrities on board.' After the teen's death made waves RUNIT Championship League organisers released a statement saying they did 'not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be done under the strict conditions'. 'This is tragic news and our hearts go out to the family and friends of Ryan. 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.' But that response only infuriated Peter Satterthwaite who said that they are 'dumb' if they think that would stop another fatality from happening. 'That's just their bullsh** line to justify what they're trying to do,' he continued. 'What did they think was going to happen? They'd be dumb if they thought nobody was going to get hurt. They said on the news they have a medical professional on standby. But a medical professional wouldn't have helped Ryan one little bit.' Dr Alan Pearce has warned more people will die if run it straight continues. Picture: Dean Martin New Zealand rugby stars urge caution amid tragic death On Wednesday night, New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) issued a statement, saying: 'NZRL is not associated with nor encourages participation in any events or collision sports like Runit.' 'It's concerning to see people in these events putting themselves at risk of serious injury, and we strongly encourage our rugby league community to only participate in games or events organised or sanctioned by NZRL, our zones and districts, or our associates,' the statement continued. 'In doing so, we can control and mitigate the health and safety of all involved.' While New Zealand rugby stars urged people to not participate in the violent sport. Former All Black halfback Steve Devine told Radio NZ the game was a 'recipe for disaster' and believes it should be banned. While All Blacks star Ardie Savea admitted he had participated in something similar during his youth and said it was therefore hard to condemn it without being a hypocrite. 'It's a tough one,' Ardie Savea said at Moana Pasifika training on Thursday. 'I don't know the precautions they take in terms of the head side of things and you can see the other side and understand why they're doing it and whatnot. 'It's hard because it's kind of made me the rugby player I am – I used to do run it straights in the backyard with Bus (brother Julian Savea) – so you kind of see both sides. 'It's really hard to say, but I'd just encourage people to be safe.' Various 'run it straight' competitions are going viral. Image: Instagram New Zealand government moves to crack down on controversial spot The future of 'run it straight' now hangs in the balance in New Zealand, with the Government seeking advice on what they can do about the controversial sport. Sport NZ group chief executive Raelene Castle told the New Zealand Herald it was concerned about the emergence of the sport, 'which clearly comes with significant health and safety risks'. '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.' Castle strongly advised people against participating in run it or any activities that encourage high-speed collisions. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxonl labelled the teenager's death 'an absolute tragedy'. (Photo by) While New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon labelled Satterthwaite's death an 'absolute tragedy' on Friday morning and said competing in the viral trend was 'a dumb thing to do'. '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. '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 the 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.' Originally published as Family of teenager who died playing 'run it straight' make heartbreaking revelation
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
'RunIt' Contact Event Poses Serious Risk To Brain Health, Says Leading Sports Scientist
Auckland, New Zealand – Professor Patria Hume, internationally recognised sports scientist and injury prevention expert at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), has issued a strong warning against the newly launched 'RunIt' Championship League, calling it a 'reckless and dangerous spectacle' that contradicts decades of scientific evidence on head injury risks in contact sports. The 'RunIt' event, which involves participants sprinting directly at each other in high-speed collisions, has been widely criticised by medical professionals and researchers. Despite its viral popularity online, Professor Hume says the format is 'a step backwards' in athlete safety. 'The deliberate design of this event to maximise impact is not only irresponsible—it's scientifically indefensible,' said Professor Hume. 'We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports. This event ignores all of that.' Scientific Evidence Against High-Impact Collisions Research from leading New Zealand experts has consistently shown that high-speed, head-on collisions significantly increase the risk of concussion and long-term brain injury: Dr Ken Quarrie and Dr Will Hopkins found that tackles involving sprinting players resulted in injury rates 3 to 5 times higher than slower-speed tackles, with head and neck injuries being among the most common [1]. Dr Doug King has documented the cumulative effects of sub-concussive impacts in rugby league, warning of the long-term neurological consequences. Professor Alice Theadom, a psychologist at AUT, has led longitudinal studies showing that even mild traumatic brain injuries can lead to persistent cognitive and emotional symptoms. Professor Mangor Pedersen, a neuroscientist at AUT, has used advanced brain imaging to demonstrate structural brain changes in athletes exposed to repeated head trauma. 'The evidence is clear: repeated high-force impacts to the head—even without immediate symptoms—can lead to serious brain conditions,' said Professor Hume. "The posturing observed in several videos following the impacts in RunIt suggest involvement of the brainstem, and is clear indicator of neurological disruption,' said Professor Pedersen. Call for Action Professor Hume is calling on event organisers, sponsors, and public health authorities to reconsider the promotion of 'RunIt' and similar events. 'This is not innovation—it's exploitation. We should be protecting athletes, not putting them in harm's way for entertainment.' She also urges the public to think critically about the content they consume and support. 'We all have a role to play in shaping the future of sport. Let's choose safety, science, and sustainability over spectacle.'
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Kyren Wilson responds as O'Sullivan shows true colours with Crucible message
Kyren Wilson suffered an early exit from the World Championships in Sheffield earlier this season but has been given some advice by Ronnie O'Sullivan that he's determined to stick by Kyren Wilson is set to follow Ronnie O'Sullivan 's advice to ensure that snooker does not become a 'slog'. The 33-year-old arrived at the Crucible last month as the defending world champion. But his run in the competition ended as quickly as it had begun with a 10-9 defeat to Chinese youngster Lei Peifan in the opening round. Seven-time champion O'Sullivan had hinted that Wilson 's exit was down to a packed snooker schedule, something that the latter is keen to rectify so he can return to top form. Wilson said: 'I chatted at length with Ronnie about it actually. We had a phone call during the World Championships after I'd been beaten, which was really nice of him to give me a bit of support afterwards. 'I'd done an exhibition in Macau over New Year 's. I got back, I went straight into the Championship League, won that group, got straight into the Masters final and then went straight to Germany, won that, then went straight into the Championship League again and I lost in the final of that. 'We spoke at that time actually and just had a little chat about it. And in hindsight, maybe I should have just skipped the Championship League, although I wanted to keep winning because I know I'm playing well and I think I can win. You've just got to rest your mind at certain times and maybe that was the time.' O'Sullivan has certainly dialled back his own commitments at the table over recent months. He had barely played heading into the World Championships in Sheffield. Wilson is determined to allow himself a break every now and again to ensure the sport doesn't become a chore. He added: 'I think definitely I'll take a leaf out of his book. I think you want to stay hungry. 'You want to keep enjoying it. And I think if you slog it out and you go tournament, tournament, tournament, tournament, it almost becomes too repetitive to the point where you stop enjoying it. 'Whereas if you give yourself a little break, you're like, oh, you know, I miss it, I really want to get back to it. And I think that's something he's been very clever with over the years. That's something I need to look at doing for the future of my career to kind of get the best out of me at the right times.'
Metro
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Kyren Wilson to follow Ronnie O'Sullivan advice after Crucible disappointment
Kyren Wilson intends to take on board the advice given to him by Ronnie O'Sullivan after an early exit from the World Snooker Championship this year, thanking the Rocket for his words of wisdom. Wilson arrived at the Crucible this year as the defending champion, with four titles to his name this season and many people's tip to lift the trophy again. By the end of the first day of the tournament, the Warrior's battle was over, beaten by debutant Lei Peifan in the opening round in a brilliant contest won 10-9 by the Chinese youngster. It was a bitter pill to swallow as Wilson arrived in Sheffield full of confidence, but he took his medicine without much complaint, praising Lei's inspired performance. 'It was definitely a unique feeling because that's probably the most confident I've ever gone into a World Championship. I really, really fancied winning it,' Wilson told Metro. 'My practise form going into the World Championships was right on point. It was right where I wanted it to be. I knew that there was room for improvement, but it was in a nice position where I knew that I could get through and sort of tick over and improve as the tournament went on. 'But obviously, first round of the Crucible is always a potential banana skin. And obviously there was a lot more on me this time. 'I didn't enjoy being on the first day, I must admit. I didn't like it at all because obviously we're so busy with the lead up to the World Championships, with the media day and all that sort of thing. You want to go back, you want to chill out, you want to then come back in a couple of days and get going. You don't want to get going the day after, it's a bit strange. 'But yeah, thoroughly enjoyed it still, the whole build up to it and the attention I received. But obviously not the result. 'He played some really inspired snooker and just hit the ground running in the evening session. I don't really feel like I did too much wrong. Lei held himself together really, really well in the decider. So yeah, no complaints really.' O'Sullivan had suggested after Wilson's exit that he had played too much snooker over the season and was coming in over-played. The seven-time champion made the point on punditry duty, but also chatted through his thoughts with Wilson on the phone, which the Warrior greatly appreciated and intends to take on board. 'I chatted at length with Ronnie about it actually. We had a phone call during the World Championships after I'd been beaten, which is really nice of him to give me a bit of support afterwards,' he said. 'I'd done an exhibition in Macau over New Year's. I got back, I went straight into the Championship League, won that group, got straight into the Masters final and then went straight to Germany, won that, then went straight into the Championship League again and I lost in the final of that. 'We spoke at that time actually and just had a little chat about it. And in hindsight, maybe I should have just skipped the Championship League, although I wanted to keep winning because I know I'm playing well and I think I can win. 'You've just got to rest your mind at certain times and maybe that was the time.' Not that there was any lack of motivation going into Sheffield, but O'Sullivan's advice was that you can only really operate at the peak of your powers so much and you need to save the hunger to do so for when it matters. 'I think definitely I'll take a leaf out of his book,' said Wilson. 'I think you want to stay hungry. You want to keep enjoying it. And I think if you slog it out and you go tournament, tournament, tournament, tournament, it almost becomes too repetitive to the point where you stop enjoying it. 'Whereas if you give yourself a little break, you're like, oh, you know, I miss it, I really want to get back to it. And I think that's something he's been very clever with over the years. That's something I need to look at doing for the future of my career to kind of get the best out of me at the right times.' There has not been much rest in terms of travelling for Wilson since the World Championship, mixing holidays and exhibitions, including playing in front of over 4,000 people in China. 'There's a big Billiards Expo on in Guangzhou and I think they were anticipating about a million people being there, so it was mental,' he said. 'It was like something I've never seen before. The passion for the game, for the players. 'I then went on to do an exhibition with a couple of other top players and we were playing in front of 4,500 fans. It was incredible. It's certainly a special place to go and play snooker. It's a great time to be a snooker player. 'I've been Dubai and then onwards to China. I only got back Monday then I'm off to Helsinki tomorrow and then I'll go Portugal when I get back and then straight to China again.' While snooker players are well used to trips to China, they could become all the more common since Zhao Xintong became the country's first world champion earlier this month. 10 of the 32 players at the Crucible this year were from China and if the number of top performers in the game becomes predominantly Chinese, there will be more and more argument to move more of the tour there. More Trending 'Absolutely, yeah, that's absolutely what could happen,' said Wilson. 'And obviously a lover of the sport from this country wouldn't want that, because they would be very limited to what they would see. 'But, for me, I love China. There would have been a time where I would have said many, many years ago that I'm not keen, I don't like it, but the more I've grown up and the more life experience I've had…honestly, I could live in China. I love it out there. 'We're so well treated. The people are so kind to us. They're so passionate and they just love this game. So, yeah, it's exciting times, actually. I'm looking forward to all my trips out there. 'I was chatting to Zhang Anda and he said that it will massively improve the snooker market now in China, with Xintong winning. So, yeah, exciting times.' MORE: Finland has gone 'berserk' for snooker as big names head to Helsinki MORE: Barry Hearn on growth of World Nineball Tour and 'quantum change' in snooker MORE: Stephen Hendry reckons one player will be fuming with Zhao Xintong's World Championship win
