Latest news with #RossGrantham
ITV News
3 days ago
- Sport
- ITV News
'Not worth the risk': what is 'Run It Straight', the social media game linked to death of teenager?
A 19-year-old from New Zealand has died after taking part in a rugby tackle game based on a trend known as 'Run It Straight'. Ryan Satterthwaite died on Monday night after he sustained a serious head injury when he was tackled in a game with friends. Manawatū police area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said Satterthwaite had died "as a result of participating in what I understand to be a social media frenzy". He said the teenager's death highlighted the "inherent safety concerns with such an activity". 'Run It Straight' has long been played casually in Australia and New Zealand, but has recently gained new found popularity through social media. The trend has been criticised by neuroscientists and brain injury specialists. What is it, and why is it considered so dangerous? What is 'Run It Straight'? The tackle game features two players, where a ball runner and a tackler stand on either end of a 20m x 4m field and run full speed toward each other, without protective gear, with the aim of knocking the other over. The challenge has been gaining traction on social media over recent weeks, with videos on TikTok and Instagram clocking millions of views. It has even been endorsed by some professional rugby players, despite warnings that it could give players head trauma and brain injury. Is this a legitimate sport? A championship Run It Straight event was recently hosted in Auckland, with organisers Runit promoting the sport on its website as 'the world's fiercest new collision sport,' which rewards 'strength and grit'. More than 1,000 people turned up to watch eight men compete for $20,000 prize money. Some participants were injured during their matches, and one video showed a man appearing to have a seizure after colliding with his rival. Winners were due to head to Auckland's Trust Arena for a final competition next month to compete for a prize of up to $250,000. However, the stadium now says it will not host the event due to the 'overwhelming concern' the trials caused. The arena's general manager told local media: "Following the trials, it was clear from commentary that there was overwhelming concern for the high-risk nature of the event." What are the concerns around the trend? The trend has been criticised by neuroscientists and brain injury specialists for its risk of serious brain trauma. Headway is a charity which promotes understanding around the effects of brain injuries. They say games like Run It Straight can have "devastating life changing and life-long consequences". "Trends like this are dangerous because they encourage copycat behaviour often among young people who may not fully understand the serious risks involved," Colin Morris, director of communictations at Headway told ITV News. "Participants will often have no medical supervision or support on hand if something goes wrong. One blow to the head can result in death or lead to permanent damage, affecting memory, mood, mobility, and even personality. "It's simply not worth the risk." What kind of injuries could be caused by the trend? Headway says the challenge carries a "high-risk of potentially life-threatening injuries." According to Morris, the forceful collisions involved could lead to a traumatic brain injury, and some of the most serious risks involved include: Bleeds on the brain (intracranial haemorrhages): A sudden impact can rupture blood vessels in the brain, leading to bleeding that increases pressure inside the skull. If not treated quickly, this can cause permanent brain damage or death. Swelling of the brain (cerebral oedema): The trauma can cause the brain to swell, which also increases pressure in the skull and can restrict blood flow, depriving the brain of oxygen. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI): The sheer force of a sudden stop or change in movement - like whiplash or a jolting motion - can cause the brain to shift violently within the skull. This can stretch or tear the delicate fibres that connect different parts of the brain. This injury is often associated with comas, or permanent cognitive or physical impairments. Second Impact Syndrome (SIS): If someone sustains a concussion and then receives a second blow before the brain has fully healed - as could happen in multiple rounds of Run It Straight - they are at risk of Second Impact Syndrome. This can be a fatal condition caused by rapid swelling of the brain. Morris told ITV News that in extreme cases, these injuries can even result in death. "For people who survive a brain injury, it can be profound and affect every part of a person's life," he says, "people shouldn't participate in these challenges full stop. "We urge individuals not to take part in or promote this reckless trend. No viral moment is worth risking your health, your future or your life. "Viral trends come and go, but the effects of brain injury can be life long and permanent."
The South African
4 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Teenager dies after rugby-inspired game
The 'run-it-straight' rugby challenge craze has predominantly swept across New Zealand and Australia, largely fuelled by social media, and which sees participants sprint into each other head-on with no protective gear. Occasionally offering thousands of dollars in prize money, and gathering big crowds, the game effectively creates high-speed collisions between amateurs of all shapes and sizes, raising real fears of concussion and other serious injuries. The worst fears have now been realised after a 19-year-old New Zealander died of a 'serious head injury' after a game of 'run it straight' in the city of Palmerston North. On this occasion, the teenager had been participating in an 'impromptu game among friends' rather than a planned event. 'The man suffered a serious head injury when tackled and was taken to hospital by friends,' police inspector Ross Grantham said. 'Tragically, he passed away in the hospital on Monday night. We would urge anyone thinking about participating in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks. 'The tackle game played by the group of friends was based on a social media-driven trend where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
New Zealand teenager dies after taking part in rugby-inspired craze
A Team Canada rugby ball sits on the turf prior to a men's match between Scotland and Canada in Ottawa on Saturday, July 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Sydney, Australia — A teenager has died in New Zealand after taking part in a rugby-inspired craze that sees participants sprint into each other head-on with no protective gear, police said Tuesday. Fuelled by social media and sometimes playing out in front of large crowds, the 'run-it-straight' challenge has swept across New Zealand and Australia. Organized run-it-straight competitions offer thousands of dollars in prize money but the trend has ignited fears of concussion and other serious injuries. A 19-year-old died in New Zealand's North Island after playing the game with friends over the weekend, police said in a statement. 'The man suffered a serious head injury when tackled and was taken to hospital by friends,' police inspector Ross Grantham said. 'Tragically, he passed away in hospital on Monday night. 'We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks.' Grantham said the teenager had been taking part in an 'impromptu game among friends', rather than a planned event. 'The tackle game played by the group of friends was based on a social media-driven trend where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear.' 'Horrendous' Organized run-it-straight events have drawn interest from ex-professional rugby players. Former Leicester, Montpellier and Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo was a celebrity participant at one event earlier this year. Experts have likened the craze to a combat sport, warning that participants face serious concussion risks. One organized competition based in Australia described it as the 'world's fiercest, new collision sport'. It involved one runner and one tackler charging into each other from 20 metres (65 feet) apart, the competition said. A run-it-straight event in New Zealand's largest city Auckland was briefly halted last week when a participant started convulsing on the ground, local media reported. Brain injury charity Headway has condemned the competitions. 'There's some horrendous and really distressing videos,' chief executive Stacey Mowbray told national broadcaster Radio New Zealand. 'Going into seizure, having obvious brain injury, that's what we can see.' Rugby and other sports are grappling with an emerging body of evidence linking head contact with degenerative brain disease. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is known to cause violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head blows have also been linked to other disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
NZ teenager dies after taking part in rugby-inspired challenge
A teenager has died in New Zealand after taking part in a rugby-inspired craze that sees participants sprint into each other head-on with no protective gear, police said. Fuelled by social media and sometimes playing out in front of large crowds, the "run-it-straight" challenge has swept across New Zealand and Australia. Organised run-it-straight competitions offer thousands of dollars in prize money but the trend has ignited fears of concussion and other serious injuries. A 19-year-old died in New Zealand's North Island after playing the game with friends over the weekend, police said in a statement. "The man suffered a serious head injury when tackled and was taken to hospital by friends," police inspector Ross Grantham said. "Tragically, he passed away in hospital last night," he added. "We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks," he said. Mr Grantham said the teenager had been taking part in an "impromptu game among friends", rather than a planned event. "The tackle game played by the group of friends was based on a social media-driven trend where participants compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear," he said. 'Horrendous' Organised run-it-straight events have drawn interest from ex-professional rugby players. Former Leicester, Montpellier and Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo was a celebrity participant at one event earlier this year. Experts have likened the craze to a combat sport, warning that participants face serious concussion risks. One organised competition based in Australia described it as the "world's fiercest, new collision sport". It involved one runner and one tackler charging into each other from 20 metres apart, the competition said. A run-it-straight event in New Zealand's largest city Auckland was briefly halted last week when a participant started convulsing on the ground, local media reported. Brain injury charity Headway has condemned the competitions. "There's some horrendous and really distressing videos," chief executive Stacey Mowbray told national broadcaster Radio New Zealand. "Going into seizure, having obvious brain injury, that's what we can see," she added. Rugby and other sports are grappling with an emerging body of evidence linking head contact with degenerative brain disease. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is known to cause violent moods, dementia and depression. Injuries from head blows have also been linked to other disorders such as motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New Zealand teenager dies after being injured in viral tackling game
A 19-year-old has died in New Zealand after being critically injured in a viral tackling game during which participants run full speed at each other head-on. The teenager, named locally as Ryan Satterthwaite, suffered a serious head injury when tackled in Palmerston North on Sunday afternoon and was taken to hospital by his friends, police said. However, Inspector Ross Grantham confirmed he died on Monday night. "This young man's death is an absolute tragedy and my thoughts are with his family and friends," he said in a statement. The game he and his friends had been playing was based on the "run it straight" game, which has grown in popularity online and sees people compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear. Mr Grantham added: "While this was an impromptu game among friends, not a planned event, this tragic outcome does highlight the inherent safety concerns with such an activity. "We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks." Police said they are not treating what happened as a criminal matter but will continue to investigate the incident on behalf of the coroner. Read more from Sky News: The viral game is believed to be based on the RUNIT competition, described on its website as the "world's fiercest, new collision sport" which is "born to go viral, built to break limits". It involves two people charging at each other on a field 20 metres long and four metres wide. "Victory belongs to the one who dominates the collision," the website says. Social media is full of videos of people trying out the game. In one video, a man can be seen apparently visibly disorientated and shaking as people help him to his feet. In a statement to New Zealand outlet Stuff Magazine after Mr Satterthwaite's death, RUNIT Championship League said it 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."
