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Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Slammed as ‘unacceptable threat to life', brutal new rugby-inspired sport Runit finds audience in Dubai
DUBAI, June 30 — Under bright lights and cameras in Dubai, two large men charge at each other down a narrow, plastic pitch, colliding head-on with a bone-jarring thud that sends one of them sprawling. It's the start of a night of thumps, grunts and head injuries at Runit, the rugby-inspired competition that has quickly drawn a social media following and alarm from health experts. The injury-count is high: three of the 12 players are withdrawn with suspected concussion, including a sickening hit that leaves ex-National Rugby League pro Kevin Proctor writhing on the ground. The final ends when Sam 'The Ice Man' Suamili is too dazed to continue, leaving Auckland's Vulangi Olosoni, 26, to celebrate the AU$200,000 (RM548,000) first prize with his overjoyed wife and sister. Organisers have big plans for the Runit Championship League, the brainchild of seven young men from Melbourne who have evolved it from a backyard game to a marketable commodity in a matter of months. Saturday's competition, attended by just a few hundred fans, was backed by several sponsors with a live-stream featuring ex-NRL pro George Burgess, a figurehead for the sport. Its rapid rise has been controversial, however. The event was held in the United Arab Emirates after calls to ban it following trials in New Zealand, where a teenager died playing a copycat version last month. Kevin Proctor receives medical attention after a tackle during the RUNIT Championship League in Dubai on June 28, 2025. — AFP pic 'Honourable' According to Lou Sticca, a football agent and consultant promoter who brought the tournament to Dubai, the next stop is the United States. 'It's a contact sport. Americans love contact sport. This is tailor-made,' he told AFP. 'It's two gladiators. It's actually quite honourable. You've got two guys similar size, similar weight. There's a lot of technique,' he added. Runit, which bills itself as the 'world's fiercest new collision sport', is contested on a track 20 metres long and four metres wide. The athletes, typically with a rugby background and the build of a heavyweight boxer, have four runs at each other taking turns to hold a rugby ball. The winner is the man judged to 'dominate' the contest. Two doctors and three other medics were pitchside in Dubai, with two ambulances waiting outside, according to Sticca. The players, mostly New Zealanders, had medical checks including head scans before flying out and will be assessed again on their return, he said. 'We're engaging proper legal experts on concussion and as we grow the sport, we'll get experts in concussion at other sports,' Sticca said. 'We'll do whatever we can to play our part in ensuring the health and safety of our combatants.' Vulangi Olosoni celebrates after winning the final of the RUNIT Championship League in Dubai on June 28, 2025. — AFP pic 'Unacceptable threat to life' However, not everyone is convinced. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Runit a 'dumb thing to do', while the New Zealand Medical Journal said it was 'engineered for injury'. 'It is a ritualised, high-risk physical collision that poses an unacceptable threat to life and wellbeing,' an editorial said this week. 'As trauma clinicians, we warn unequivocally: Run It Straight is a mechanism for significant acute and long-term injury,' the journal added. Concerns over concussion have prompted new measures in several sports including the rugby codes as scores of retired players report serious health problems. Tania Mayne, a Dubai-based neurophysiotherapist who specialises in concussion, said the science was clear on impacts to the head. 'World Rugby has been so outspoken about how a contact should take place in a match,' she told AFP, referring to rugby union's governing body. 'This goes against everything out there.' Mayne added: 'I would just encourage people not to get involved and read what's out there. There's so much information about concussion in sport.' Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive disease caused by repeated blows to the head, is known to trigger violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head knocks have also been linked to disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. However, Sticca said Runit was being unfairly singled out. 'Any contact sport has got the same issues. It's just that we're only hearing about this because it suits the agenda,' he said. 'We don't care about the critics, we care about the combatants. We care about making Runit a bigger, better sport. Simple as that.' — AFP
Daily Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
Kevin Proctor breaks silence after being KO'd at RUNIT event by Jordan Simi in Dubai
Don't miss out on the headlines from Other Sports. Followed categories will be added to My News. Former NRL star Kevin Proctor has no regrets about taking part in RUNIT 02 in Dubai over the weekend, despite suffering a shocking knockout that has gone viral on social media. The 282 NRL game second rower came off second best after getting his head in the wrong position in an exhibition run it straight contest against former lower grade footy player turned social media influencer Jordan Simi. Footage of the hit showed the former Kiwis forward face-plant onto the astroturf with his arms and legs stiffening as medical personnel rush to him. Proctor was cleared by a doctor the morning after the event and is flying back to Australia. In his first comments since the event, Proctor thanked RUNIT organisers and admitted he got the hit wrong. 'Just want to say thank you to everyone that has messaged me to ask if I was alright,' Proctor wrote on Instagram before flying back to Australia. 'I'm all good. 'We all know what we sign up for getting in there. 'It's a contact sport and unfortunately I put my head in the wrong place and came out second best. 'Ya win some ya lose some ... but no hard feelings. Hats off to the bro. It is what it is. 'I got in there had a crack at least. 'I like to thank @ for having me! Still grateful to be apart of it and im sure you guys are only going to get bigger n bigger. 'Congrats to all the winners and organisation for putting on a great event. 'On my way back home now to see my darling, kids and family ... thanks again to everyone for the support.' Kevin Proctor's collision with Jordan Simi. Picture: Supplied/Instagram Simi – Proctor's opponent in the exhibition run it straight challenge – is sitting beside him in the Instagram post, and commented: 'Don't do that again yeahhhh. Got me in trouble with your mumsy. Love brother.' The Dubai event was the third high profile competition RUNIT has staged after similar contests in Melbourne and Auckland in May. The event had a massive prize pool, with first place leaving with $200,000, second place pocketing $50,000 and third place walking away with $25,000. A social media sensation, RUNIT has gone viral with clips of big hits and thunderous collisions spreading like wildfire on Instagram and TikTok. It has attracted a huge amount of criticism as well though, with dozens of CTE experts slamming it. Meanwhile the Warriors, New Zealadn Rugby League, Rugby Australia and the Melbourne Storm hav moved to distance themselves from the craze. Originally published as Former NRL star Kevin Proctor breaks silence after sickening KO by social media influencer at RUNIT event in Dubai
Courier-Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Kevin Proctor breaks silence after being KO'd at RUNIT event by Jordan Simi in Dubai
Don't miss out on the headlines from Other Sports. Followed categories will be added to My News. Former NRL star Kevin Proctor has no regrets about taking part in RUNIT 02 in Dubai over the weekend, despite suffering a shocking knockout that has gone viral on social media. The 282 NRL game second rower came off second best after getting his head in the wrong position in an exhibition run it straight contest against former lower grade footy player turned social media influencer Jordan Simi. Footage of the hit showed the former Kiwis forward face-plant onto the astroturf with his arms and legs stiffening as medical personnel rush to him. PLAY CODE TRIVIA TODAY! 🎲❓ Think you're a sports fanatic? Take the test. Play daily trivia for FREE on CODE Sports. Sign up here > Proctor was cleared by a doctor the morning after the event and is flying back to Australia. In his first comments since the event, Proctor thanked RUNIT organisers and admitted he got the hit wrong. 'Just want to say thank you to everyone that has messaged me to ask if I was alright,' Proctor wrote on Instagram before flying back to Australia. 'I'm all good. 'We all know what we sign up for getting in there. 'It's a contact sport and unfortunately I put my head in the wrong place and came out second best. 'Ya win some ya lose some ... but no hard feelings. Hats off to the bro. It is what it is. 'I got in there had a crack at least. 'I like to thank @ for having me! Still grateful to be apart of it and im sure you guys are only going to get bigger n bigger. 'Congrats to all the winners and organisation for putting on a great event. 'On my way back home now to see my darling, kids and family ... thanks again to everyone for the support.' Kevin Proctor's collision with Jordan Simi. Picture: Supplied/Instagram Simi – Proctor's opponent in the exhibition run it straight challenge – is sitting beside him in the Instagram post, and commented: 'Don't do that again yeahhhh. Got me in trouble with your mumsy. Love brother.' The Dubai event was the third high profile competition RUNIT has staged after similar contests in Melbourne and Auckland in May. The event had a massive prize pool, with first place leaving with $200,000, second place pocketing $50,000 and third place walking away with $25,000. A social media sensation, RUNIT has gone viral with clips of big hits and thunderous collisions spreading like wildfire on Instagram and TikTok. It has attracted a huge amount of criticism as well though, with dozens of CTE experts slamming it. Meanwhile the Warriors, New Zealadn Rugby League, Rugby Australia and the Melbourne Storm hav moved to distance themselves from the craze. Originally published as Former NRL star Kevin Proctor breaks silence after sickening KO by social media influencer at RUNIT event in Dubai
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Former NRL star Kevin Proctor breaks silence after sickening KO by social media influencer at RUNIT event in Dubai
Former NRL star Kevin Proctor has no regrets about taking part in RUNIT 02 in Dubai over the weekend, despite suffering a shocking knockout that has gone viral on social media. The 282 NRL game second rower came off second best after getting his head in the wrong position in an exhibition run it straight contest against former lower grade footy player turned social media influencer Jordan Simi. Footage of the hit showed the former Kiwis forward face-plant onto the astroturf with his arms and legs stiffening as medical personnel rush to him. Proctor was cleared by a doctor the morning after the event and is flying back to Australia. In his first comments since the event, Proctor thanked RUNIT organisers and admitted he got the hit wrong. 'Just want to say thank you to everyone that has messaged me to ask if I was alright,' Proctor wrote on Instagram before flying back to Australia. 'I'm all good. 'We all know what we sign up for getting in there. 'It's a contact sport and unfortunately I put my head in the wrong place and came out second best. 'Ya win some ya lose some ... but no hard feelings. Hats off to the bro. It is what it is. 'I got in there had a crack at least. 'I like to thank @ for having me! Still grateful to be apart of it and im sure you guys are only going to get bigger n bigger. 'Congrats to all the winners and organisation for putting on a great event. 'On my way back home now to see my darling, kids and family ... thanks again to everyone for the support.' Simi – Proctor's opponent in the exhibition run it straight challenge – is sitting beside him in the Instagram post, and commented: 'Don't do that again yeahhhh. Got me in trouble with your mumsy. Love brother.' The Dubai event was the third high profile competition RUNIT has staged after similar contests in Melbourne and Auckland in May. The event had a massive prize pool, with first place leaving with $200,000, second place pocketing $50,000 and third place walking away with $25,000. A social media sensation, RUNIT has gone viral with clips of big hits and thunderous collisions spreading like wildfire on Instagram and TikTok. It has attracted a huge amount of criticism as well though, with dozens of CTE experts slamming it. Meanwhile the Warriors, New Zealadn Rugby League, Rugby Australia and the Melbourne Storm hav moved to distance themselves from the craze.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS NRL star who was knocked out in distressing scenes as he tried Australia's most dangerous new sport gives an update on his condition
Former NRL star Kevin Proctor has revealed that he is doing 'good' after he was brutally knocked out by social media influencer Jordan Simi while taking part in a 'run it straight' competition in the Middle East. The 36-year-old had been participating in the RUNIT Championship League event in Dubai. The competition challenges two individuals to run a football at full pelt directly into each other to force a huge collision. And on Saturday, sickening footage of the former Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans star emerged, showing him colliding with Simi during the event. Proctor fell lifelessly to the ground, with his arms and legs going stiff, as with organisers and Simi quickly rushed to his aid. On Monday evening, he took to Instagram to give his followers an update on his situation, sharing a photo of himself and Simi flying back home following the event. 'Just want to say thank you to everyone that has messaged me to ask if I was alright,' he wrote on the social media platform. 'I'm all good. We all know what we sign up for getting in there. 'It's a contact sport and unfortunately, I put my head in the wrong place and came out second best.' The New Zealand-born ex-NRL player also lumped praise on his opponent Simi, a former footy player himself, who last year opened up on forging a new career as an artist. 'Ya win some ya lose some... but no hard feelings. Hats off to the bro. It is what it is. I got in there and had a crack at least,' Proctor added. 'I like to thank @ for having me! 'Still grateful to be a part of it and I'm sure you guys are only going to get bigger and bigger. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kevin Proctor (@kevproc) 'Congrats to all the winners and organisation for putting on a great event. 'On my way back home now to see my darling, kids and family, thanks again to everyone for the support.'
