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Scoop
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Run It And Brain Injuries: What You Need To Know
Article – RNZ Explainer – A 19-year-old died playing a version of the controversial violent 'Run It' contest. Just how dangerous is it? , Digital Explainer Editor Explainer – A 19-year-old from Palmerston North died recently playing a version of the controversial violent 'Run It' contest. How can a knock on the head kill? Here's what you need to know about brain injuries. What is Run It? An Australian creation that has taken off in Aotearoa thanks to social media, 'Run It Straight' is a combat sport. Across a field, a ball runner and defender charge at full speed toward one another without helmets or safety gear. The participant who 'dominates' the contact is deemed the winner. Events held in New Zealand recently offer cash prizes, including a $200,000 prize advertised for the winner of the final. Many sporting groups and health experts have condemned the contests, including NZ Rugby and NZ Rugby League. What happened to Ryan Satterthwaite? The 19-year-old Palmerston North man died Monday night in hospital, after suffering a catastrophic head injury on Sunday, 25 May playing an unofficial Run It-style game with friends. Police said it was an unspectacular tackle that led to the tragedy. Manawatū area commander inspector Ross Grantham told RNZ's Checkpoint that Ryan's head didn't hit anything hard during the tackle. 'It was just an impromptu event with some mates that got together and the two men run towards each other, and from that collision, this young man Ryan has received such a terrible injury that it's been fatal,' Grantham said. 'It doesn't look like his head has hit anything hard, hasn't hit the ground, or his mate's body or head. It's the movement that has caused this injury.' Satterthwaite's family have urged people not to take part in the game, with his uncle calling it 'the most stupid thing I've ever seen'. The death comes after two other men were knocked unconscious and required medical attention during a competition at Auckland's Trust Arena. What happens to the brain with this kind of impact? People don't understand how fragile the brain really is, said Dr Helen Murray, a neuroscientist and senior research fellow at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research. 'The main thing to think about is our brain is essentially floating in cerebrospinal fluid inside our skull, so every time you bump the front of your skull, the brain is moving around in your head. 'It's sort of like an egg in an eggshell – if you shake it, you damage what's inside. It's a very delicate structure.' Knocks to the head can cause bleeding or harm the careful infrastructure inside our skulls. 'All of those delicate folds of the brain are stretching and twisting, and that can cause damage,' she said. 'Blood is not supposed to be in direct contact with brain tissue.' Bleeding on the brain can cause problems such as a stroke. The exact details of Satterthwaite's injuries have not been revealed, but sudden death from a brain injury can also occur because it regulates most of our body functions. If the brain stem – which connects your brain to the spinal cord – is affected, it can result in critical injuries. 'Your brain stem is really responsible for a lot of what we call homeostatic functions, the things that keep your body alive,' Dr Murray said. 'You don't think about your heart beating, you don't think about your breathing or your blood pressure, but your brain is always making that happen all the time.' Several people are believed to have suffered concussions – a brain injury caused by a blow to the head – during Run It activities. Chief executive of the Headway brain injury support charity Stacey Mowbray recently told RNZ she found Run It Straight video footage 'horrendous and really distressing'. 'We refer to concussions as the invisible injury, so you don't have to see anything initially to have had one.' Can you be hurt and not realise it right away? Even if the injury isn't immediately fatal, brain injuries can also develop over years. 'Your brain is so precious and a brain injury affects, not only your life, but your friends, your family and the people around you, and it can last a long, long time,' Dr Murray said. Haven't there been concerns about brain injuries in contact sport for a while? Absolutely, and the particularly stark nature of Run It events has drawn attention to long-standing research about sports players developing life-changing injuries. Brain injuries in sport cost New Zealand millions every year. Some former athletes have been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE, a progressive brain disease that can cause dementia-like symptoms. Former All Black Carl Hayman has spoken out about living with the disease, which he was diagnosed with in his early 40s. Dr Murray is one of New Zealand's leading experts on CTE and an ice hockey player herself. She said contact sports can be played safely, but events like Run It lacked safeguards. 'There are some unique factors in this Run It event that just make it a really, really heavy risk – the fact that no-one is trying to avoid a collision, for starters. 'You instantly have this high-force component, the lack of regulation, people just kind of doing this without safe tackling technique. Someone's judging the collision, so there's an incentive for high damage. 'So many sports have been doing a fantastic job about learning to play more safely… but this is a big step backwards.' What is the future of Run It? West Auckland's Trusts Arena cancelled plans to host the final event for the Runit Championship League after holding trials there. 'Safety of all participants at our venue is paramount and this activity presented safety considerations that we could not overlook,' Trusts Arena's general manager of community engagement Lynette Adams told the New Zealand Herald. Should it be illegal? After Satterthwaite's death, police said it was not considered a criminal matter, but they would continue to make inquiries on behalf of the Coroner. 'We need people to stop participating in activities where the intention is to hurt someone,' AUT professor of human performance Patria Hume told the Science Media Centre. 'Why is this not considered assault?' Sports and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell is seeking advice on what could be done about the game. He told RNZ's Nine To Noon last week he had asked Sport NZ for advice to see if there was anything that could be done at a government level. Mitchell said it would likely require a response from several agencies.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Run It And Brain Injuries: What You Need To Know
, Digital Explainer Editor Explainer – A 19-year-old from Palmerston North died recently playing a version of the controversial violent 'Run It' contest. How can a knock on the head kill? Here's what you need to know about brain injuries. What is Run It? An Australian creation that has taken off in Aotearoa thanks to social media, 'Run It Straight' is a combat sport. Across a field, a ball runner and defender charge at full speed toward one another without helmets or safety gear. The participant who 'dominates' the contact is deemed the winner. Events held in New Zealand recently offer cash prizes, including a $200,000 prize advertised for the winner of the final. Many sporting groups and health experts have condemned the contests, including NZ Rugby and NZ Rugby League. What happened to Ryan Satterthwaite? The 19-year-old Palmerston North man died Monday night in hospital, after suffering a catastrophic head injury on Sunday, 25 May playing an unofficial Run It-style game with friends. Police said it was an unspectacular tackle that led to the tragedy. Manawatū area commander inspector Ross Grantham told RNZ's Checkpoint that Ryan's head didn't hit anything hard during the tackle. 'It was just an impromptu event with some mates that got together and the two men run towards each other, and from that collision, this young man Ryan has received such a terrible injury that it's been fatal,' Grantham said. 'It doesn't look like his head has hit anything hard, hasn't hit the ground, or his mate's body or head. It's the movement that has caused this injury.' Satterthwaite's family have urged people not to take part in the game, with his uncle calling it 'the most stupid thing I've ever seen'. The death comes after two other men were knocked unconscious and required medical attention during a competition at Auckland's Trust Arena. What happens to the brain with this kind of impact? People don't understand how fragile the brain really is, said Dr Helen Murray, a neuroscientist and senior research fellow at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research. 'The main thing to think about is our brain is essentially floating in cerebrospinal fluid inside our skull, so every time you bump the front of your skull, the brain is moving around in your head. 'It's sort of like an egg in an eggshell – if you shake it, you damage what's inside. It's a very delicate structure.' Knocks to the head can cause bleeding or harm the careful infrastructure inside our skulls. 'All of those delicate folds of the brain are stretching and twisting, and that can cause damage,' she said. 'Blood is not supposed to be in direct contact with brain tissue.' Bleeding on the brain can cause problems such as a stroke. The exact details of Satterthwaite's injuries have not been revealed, but sudden death from a brain injury can also occur because it regulates most of our body functions. If the brain stem – which connects your brain to the spinal cord – is affected, it can result in critical injuries. 'Your brain stem is really responsible for a lot of what we call homeostatic functions, the things that keep your body alive,' Dr Murray said. 'You don't think about your heart beating, you don't think about your breathing or your blood pressure, but your brain is always making that happen all the time.' Several people are believed to have suffered concussions – a brain injury caused by a blow to the head – during Run It activities. Chief executive of the Headway brain injury support charity Stacey Mowbray recently told RNZ she found Run It Straight video footage 'horrendous and really distressing'. 'We refer to concussions as the invisible injury, so you don't have to see anything initially to have had one.' Can you be hurt and not realise it right away? Even if the injury isn't immediately fatal, brain injuries can also develop over years. 'Your brain is so precious and a brain injury affects, not only your life, but your friends, your family and the people around you, and it can last a long, long time,' Dr Murray said. Haven't there been concerns about brain injuries in contact sport for a while? Absolutely, and the particularly stark nature of Run It events has drawn attention to long-standing research about sports players developing life-changing injuries. Brain injuries in sport cost New Zealand millions every year. Some former athletes have been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE, a progressive brain disease that can cause dementia-like symptoms. Former All Black Carl Hayman has spoken out about living with the disease, which he was diagnosed with in his early 40s. Dr Murray is one of New Zealand's leading experts on CTE and an ice hockey player herself. She said contact sports can be played safely, but events like Run It lacked safeguards. 'There are some unique factors in this Run It event that just make it a really, really heavy risk – the fact that no-one is trying to avoid a collision, for starters. 'You instantly have this high-force component, the lack of regulation, people just kind of doing this without safe tackling technique. Someone's judging the collision, so there's an incentive for high damage. 'So many sports have been doing a fantastic job about learning to play more safely… but this is a big step backwards.' What is the future of Run It? West Auckland's Trusts Arena cancelled plans to host the final event for the Runit Championship League after holding trials there. 'Safety of all participants at our venue is paramount and this activity presented safety considerations that we could not overlook,' Trusts Arena's general manager of community engagement Lynette Adams told the New Zealand Herald. Should it be illegal? After Satterthwaite's death, police said it was not considered a criminal matter, but they would continue to make inquiries on behalf of the Coroner. 'We need people to stop participating in activities where the intention is to hurt someone,' AUT professor of human performance Patria Hume told the Science Media Centre. 'Why is this not considered assault?' Sports and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell is seeking advice on what could be done about the game. He told RNZ's Nine To Noon last week he had asked Sport NZ for advice to see if there was anything that could be done at a government level. Mitchell said it would likely require a response from several agencies.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Run It And Brain Injuries: What You Need To Know
, Digital Explainer Editor Explainer - A 19-year-old from Palmerston North died recently playing a version of the controversial violent 'Run It' contest. How can a knock on the head kill? Here's what you need to know about brain injuries. What is Run It? An Australian creation that has taken off in Aotearoa thanks to social media, 'Run It Straight' is a combat sport. Across a field, a ball runner and defender charge at full speed toward one another without helmets or safety gear. The participant who "dominates" the contact is deemed the winner. Events held in New Zealand recently offer cash prizes, including a $200,000 prize advertised for the winner of the final. Many sporting groups and health experts have condemned the contests, including NZ Rugby and NZ Rugby League. What happened to Ryan Satterthwaite? The 19-year-old Palmerston North man died Monday night in hospital, after suffering a catastrophic head injury on Sunday, 25 May playing an unofficial Run It-style game with friends. Police said it was an unspectacular tackle that led to the tragedy. Manawatū area commander inspector Ross Grantham told RNZ's Checkpoint that Ryan's head didn't hit anything hard during the tackle. "It was just an impromptu event with some mates that got together and the two men run towards each other, and from that collision, this young man Ryan has received such a terrible injury that it's been fatal," Grantham said. "It doesn't look like his head has hit anything hard, hasn't hit the ground, or his mate's body or head. It's the movement that has caused this injury." Satterthwaite's family have urged people not to take part in the game, with his uncle calling it "the most stupid thing I've ever seen". The death comes after two other men were knocked unconscious and required medical attention during a competition at Auckland's Trust Arena. What happens to the brain with this kind of impact? People don't understand how fragile the brain really is, said Dr Helen Murray, a neuroscientist and senior research fellow at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research. "The main thing to think about is our brain is essentially floating in cerebrospinal fluid inside our skull, so every time you bump the front of your skull, the brain is moving around in your head. "It's sort of like an egg in an eggshell - if you shake it, you damage what's inside. It's a very delicate structure." Knocks to the head can cause bleeding or harm the careful infrastructure inside our skulls. "All of those delicate folds of the brain are stretching and twisting, and that can cause damage," she said. "Blood is not supposed to be in direct contact with brain tissue." Bleeding on the brain can cause problems such as a stroke. The exact details of Satterthwaite's injuries have not been revealed, but sudden death from a brain injury can also occur because it regulates most of our body functions. If the brain stem - which connects your brain to the spinal cord - is affected, it can result in critical injuries. "Your brain stem is really responsible for a lot of what we call homeostatic functions, the things that keep your body alive," Dr Murray said. "You don't think about your heart beating, you don't think about your breathing or your blood pressure, but your brain is always making that happen all the time." Several people are believed to have suffered concussions - a brain injury caused by a blow to the head - during Run It activities. Chief executive of the Headway brain injury support charity Stacey Mowbray recently told RNZ she found Run It Straight video footage "horrendous and really distressing". "We refer to concussions as the invisible injury, so you don't have to see anything initially to have had one." Can you be hurt and not realise it right away? Even if the injury isn't immediately fatal, brain injuries can also develop over years. "Your brain is so precious and a brain injury affects, not only your life, but your friends, your family and the people around you, and it can last a long, long time," Dr Murray said. Haven't there been concerns about brain injuries in contact sport for a while? Absolutely, and the particularly stark nature of Run It events has drawn attention to long-standing research about sports players developing life-changing injuries. Brain injuries in sport cost New Zealand millions every year. Some former athletes have been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE, a progressive brain disease that can cause dementia-like symptoms. Former All Black Carl Hayman has spoken out about living with the disease, which he was diagnosed with in his early 40s. Dr Murray is one of New Zealand's leading experts on CTE and an ice hockey player herself. She said contact sports can be played safely, but events like Run It lacked safeguards. "There are some unique factors in this Run It event that just make it a really, really heavy risk - the fact that no-one is trying to avoid a collision, for starters. "You instantly have this high-force component, the lack of regulation, people just kind of doing this without safe tackling technique. Someone's judging the collision, so there's an incentive for high damage. "So many sports have been doing a fantastic job about learning to play more safely... but this is a big step backwards." What is the future of Run It? West Auckland's Trusts Arena cancelled plans to host the final event for the Runit Championship League after holding trials there. "Safety of all participants at our venue is paramount and this activity presented safety considerations that we could not overlook," Trusts Arena's general manager of community engagement Lynette Adams told the New Zealand Herald. Should it be illegal? After Satterthwaite's death, police said it was not considered a criminal matter, but they would continue to make inquiries on behalf of the Coroner. "We need people to stop participating in activities where the intention is to hurt someone," AUT professor of human performance Patria Hume told the Science Media Centre. "Why is this not considered assault?" Sports and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell is seeking advice on what could be done about the game. He told RNZ's Nine To Noon last week he had asked Sport NZ for advice to see if there was anything that could be done at a government level. Mitchell said it would likely require a response from several agencies.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
King's Birthday: What's Open, What's Closed And How It's Decided Who Gets Honours
Explainer – King Charles' birthday is commemorated with a public holiday on Monday – what's open, how do those royal honours get chosen and should we still celebrate it, anyway? Nik Dirga, Digital Explainer Editor Explainer – King Charles' birthday is commemorated with a public holiday on Monday – what's open, how do those royal honours get chosen and should we still celebrate it, anyway? Here's everything you need to know about the holiday. What's open on Monday? Do I have to work? It is a public holiday, but some people may still have to work depending on their employer. Employees are paid time-and-a-half and entitled to a paid day off if a public holiday falls on a normal working day for them. However, if you are a contractor or working for yourself, you don't get those benefits. You can read more about public holiday rules for employers here. Trading restrictions don't apply on Monday as they do for Easter holidays, the morning of Anzac Day or Christmas. Shops, restaurants and cafes can be open as usual but it pays to check opening hours beforehand. I'm gonna want a latte, do I have to pay a surcharge? Because businesses have to pay employees more on a public holiday, it raises their costs. So some businesses choose to add a surcharge to their prices on holidays. The typical surcharge is 15 percent. However, businesses must be clear about announcing those charges to customers via signage, verbally or other methods. Customers can also complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel misled or a charge was excessive. King's Birthday is also about celebrating New Zealanders' achievements Dozens of New Zealanders will be given royal honours which will be announced on Monday for excellence in their fields. It's the second time each year honours are given out – they're also announced on New Year's Eve. Cool, can I get an honour? Who decides who gets them? Literally anyone can nominate someone living who they think deserves a Royal Honour. (Unless you try to nominate yourself, which is not allowed and also kind of weird.) The Honours Unit at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet processes between 800 to 1000 nominations a year, Blair Teesdale-Moore, senior communications advisor with the department, said. 'The unit prepares a draft citation for each one based on the information in the nomination and letters of support,' she said. The Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee then considers every nomination individually in a series of confidential meetings over several weeks. 'As chair of the APH committee and the King's primary advisor on honours matters, the prime minister advises the King on the final honours lists,' Teesdale-Moore said. 'By long-standing constitutional convention the King of New Zealand acts on the advice of the prime minister – this includes the formal approval of New Zealand Royal honours.' Once the draft list is set, it is then given informal approval by the governor-general, run by potential recipients first – 'a small number decline,' Teesdale-Moore said – and then it's off to the King, who is the head of our honours system. Hang on, the King was born in November. Why are we celebrating in June? King Charles III turns 77 on 14 November. So why are we wishing him a happy birthday now? Blame the weather. The tradition of celebrating the monarch's birthday in the northern summer dates back hundreds of years, and is tied in with the Trooping the Colour ceremonial event held every June in London. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been first performed during the reign of King Charles II from 1660 to 1685, the British Army says. In 1748, during the reign of King George II, the sovereign's birthday first became a celebrated holiday. Trooping the Colour became tied in to celebrate the monarch, no matter when their actual birthday was. Ever since then, the king or queen has basically had two birthdays – the real one, and the big old fancy military parade one. Trooping the Colour will be held in the UK on 14 June this year. Is the King's Birthday really something NZ should be marking in 2025? That's a matter of opinion and it all depends on who you ask. As part of the Commonwealth, King Charles is New Zealand's head of state. Of course, there have been calls to change that, which ramped up after the death of Queen Elizabeth II following her 70-year reign in 2022. Monarchy New Zealand organisation did not respond to requests for comment from RNZ by deadline, but on its website calls the monarchy 'something all Kiwis can be proud of'. 'It's a vital component of our government, a guarantee of our democracy, and a sign of our maturity and independence as a nation. 'The King is a completely apolitical head of state (who) represents all New Zealanders regardless of their political views. This cannot happen in a republic.' However, there are also calls to abandon the holiday celebrating a monarch on the other side of the world. Savage, the chair of the New Zealand Republic organisation, called King's Birthday an 'empty public holiday that celebrates nothing in particular. It is no one's birthday and even the Brits don't celebrate it as a public holiday'. 'It has already been surpassed by Matariki as a proper, meaningful public holiday. New Zealand Republic was one of the first groups to start campaigning for Matariki and we are campaigning to replace King's Birthday with a spring time public holiday in September.' NZ Republic suggests a replacement public holiday could be Citizenship Day, when New Zealand citizenship was officially established on 6 September 1948 by the passing of the New Zealand Citizenship Act, or Suffrage Day on 19 September, marking the day in 1893 that NZ signed into law allowing women to vote. But for now, your public holiday off is thanks to the King.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
King's Birthday: What's Open, What's Closed And How It's Decided Who Gets Honours
Article – RNZ Explainer – King Charles' birthday is commemorated with a public holiday on Monday – what's open, how do those royal honours get chosen and should we still celebrate it, anyway? Nik Dirga, Digital Explainer Editor Explainer – King Charles' birthday is commemorated with a public holiday on Monday – what's open, how do those royal honours get chosen and should we still celebrate it, anyway? Here's everything you need to know about the holiday. What's open on Monday? Do I have to work? It is a public holiday, but some people may still have to work depending on their employer. Employees are paid time-and-a-half and entitled to a paid day off if a public holiday falls on a normal working day for them. However, if you are a contractor or working for yourself, you don't get those benefits. You can read more about public holiday rules for employers here. Trading restrictions don't apply on Monday as they do for Easter holidays, the morning of Anzac Day or Christmas. Shops, restaurants and cafes can be open as usual but it pays to check opening hours beforehand. I'm gonna want a latte, do I have to pay a surcharge? Because businesses have to pay employees more on a public holiday, it raises their costs. So some businesses choose to add a surcharge to their prices on holidays. The typical surcharge is 15 percent. However, businesses must be clear about announcing those charges to customers via signage, verbally or other methods. Customers can also complain to the Commerce Commission if they feel misled or a charge was excessive. King's Birthday is also about celebrating New Zealanders' achievements Dozens of New Zealanders will be given royal honours which will be announced on Monday for excellence in their fields. It's the second time each year honours are given out – they're also announced on New Year's Eve. Cool, can I get an honour? Who decides who gets them? Literally anyone can nominate someone living who they think deserves a Royal Honour. (Unless you try to nominate yourself, which is not allowed and also kind of weird.) The Honours Unit at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet processes between 800 to 1000 nominations a year, Blair Teesdale-Moore, senior communications advisor with the department, said. 'The unit prepares a draft citation for each one based on the information in the nomination and letters of support,' she said. The Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee then considers every nomination individually in a series of confidential meetings over several weeks. 'As chair of the APH committee and the King's primary advisor on honours matters, the prime minister advises the King on the final honours lists,' Teesdale-Moore said. 'By long-standing constitutional convention the King of New Zealand acts on the advice of the prime minister – this includes the formal approval of New Zealand Royal honours.' Once the draft list is set, it is then given informal approval by the governor-general, run by potential recipients first – 'a small number decline,' Teesdale-Moore said – and then it's off to the King, who is the head of our honours system. Hang on, the King was born in November. Why are we celebrating in June? King Charles III turns 77 on 14 November. So why are we wishing him a happy birthday now? Blame the weather. The tradition of celebrating the monarch's birthday in the northern summer dates back hundreds of years, and is tied in with the Trooping the Colour ceremonial event held every June in London. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is believed to have been first performed during the reign of King Charles II from 1660 to 1685, the British Army says. In 1748, during the reign of King George II, the sovereign's birthday first became a celebrated holiday. Trooping the Colour became tied in to celebrate the monarch, no matter when their actual birthday was. Ever since then, the king or queen has basically had two birthdays – the real one, and the big old fancy military parade one. Trooping the Colour will be held in the UK on 14 June this year. Is the King's Birthday really something NZ should be marking in 2025? That's a matter of opinion and it all depends on who you ask. As part of the Commonwealth, King Charles is New Zealand's head of state. Of course, there have been calls to change that, which ramped up after the death of Queen Elizabeth II following her 70-year reign in 2022. Monarchy New Zealand organisation did not respond to requests for comment from RNZ by deadline, but on its website calls the monarchy 'something all Kiwis can be proud of'. 'It's a vital component of our government, a guarantee of our democracy, and a sign of our maturity and independence as a nation. 'The King is a completely apolitical head of state (who) represents all New Zealanders regardless of their political views. This cannot happen in a republic.' However, there are also calls to abandon the holiday celebrating a monarch on the other side of the world. Savage, the chair of the New Zealand Republic organisation, called King's Birthday an 'empty public holiday that celebrates nothing in particular. It is no one's birthday and even the Brits don't celebrate it as a public holiday'. 'It has already been surpassed by Matariki as a proper, meaningful public holiday. New Zealand Republic was one of the first groups to start campaigning for Matariki and we are campaigning to replace King's Birthday with a spring time public holiday in September.' NZ Republic suggests a replacement public holiday could be Citizenship Day, when New Zealand citizenship was officially established on 6 September 1948 by the passing of the New Zealand Citizenship Act, or Suffrage Day on 19 September, marking the day in 1893 that NZ signed into law allowing women to vote. But for now, your public holiday off is thanks to the King.
