Deadly viral “Run It” craze here to stay despite grave safety fears
Controversial Melbourne-based organisation RUNIT will continue to hold events that concussion experts have labelled dangerous because the activity is not regulated or sanctioned by sporting bodies.
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Controversial Melbourne-based organisation RUNIT will continue to hold events that concussion experts have labelled dangerous because the activity is not regulated or sanctioned by sporting bodies.
RUNIT has become hugely popular on social media and labels itself as “the world’s fiercest, new collision sport” and involves two opponents running at each other at full speed before smashing into each other.
Another group, Run it Straight Official, is also commercialising the trend in Australia and New Zealand.
However, the impact of the collisions from competitors has been labelled as a concussion and brain injury risk and sporting bodies do not sanction or regulate the activity.
A New Zealand teen died recently while participating in a similar activity with friends in a local park.
Nineteen-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died after suffering serious head injuries while playing a game of “run it straight”, which RUNIT entails with friends in Palmerston North in New Zealand on Sunday, 25 April.
Despite its violent nature the activity does not fall under the regulatory powers of the Victorian Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board.
A spokesperson for the Board stating that their hands were tied due to the classification.
“This activity is not a sanctioned sport or activity in Victoria and does not meet the definition of boxing or combat sport,” they said.
A Victorian government spokesperson said the activity was “extremely dangerous and risks people being seriously injured or worse dying” but did not say it would do anything about regulating it.
Olympic hero and now Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins has even taken aim at the “sport” hoping that the hype surrounding it quickly dies.
“We want all young people to stay active, but it must be done in a safe way,” he added. “Let’s hope, for the sake of our community, this activity is a phase that is quickly moved on from.”
CEO of concussion assessment program Headsafe Adrian Cohen agreed, claiming the game was “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, who helped create the Australian Sports Brain Bank said he wasn’t surprised by the online popularity of Run It Straight.
“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 the lack of regulation around the game and RUNIT events was a serious concern.
“The reason I became involved with combat sports was to try and effect education and advocacy, and change within those sports,” he said.
“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.
“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.”
In a show of defiance in the days following the teens death in New Zealand RUNIT founder Rennie Lautolo-Molimau took to social media writing “We’re here to stay” in an Instagram story.
The organisation has since distanced themselves from the tragedy further in a comment released through a PR firm.
“We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be performed under the strict conditions,” they said.
“RUNIT is planning future events over the coming months and will continue to educate our followers on the risks associated.”
Unlike competitor competitions RUNIT does have some medical staff in place who are waiting to assess players before and after each hit.
In their Championship League competitions eight eligible competitors, weighing between 115 kgs and 135 kgs, face off in a tournament-style competition, with the winner taking home $20,000 in cash.
Other competitions out there don’t offer the same medical team on standby making them much more dangerous
Nor are there medical personnel on standby in suburban parks where easily influenced teens and children can give the activity a crack themselves, which can lead to the worst case scenario, as seen last weekend.
For RUNIT’s most recent Melbourne event plenty of punters showed up at Melbourne Pavilion on April 30, with a crowd of over 300, including some well known names.
This included Liberal state politician Moira Deeming, AFL star Jamara Ugle-Hagan and Australian mixed martial artist Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa.
Ugle-Hagan told the Herald Sun in the lead up to the event that it was a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed.
“It’s a must watch sport as it has never been a thing and there’s a great opportunity for people to show their strength,” he said.
When asked if he fancied his chances against those competing in RUNIT, Ugle-Hagan said he backed himself but quipped he would “just stick to football”.
Melbourne Storm player Nelson Asofa-Solomona was previously linked to RUNIT but has cut ties with the organisation over its safety concerns.
Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Will Warbrick, were also spotted in promotional material but were only filmed at a trial even they attended in support of Asofa-Solomona.
The Melbourne Storm prop has now moved on to promote “Big Steppa”, which again requires two combatants running at each other, but the aim is for one player to evade the other rather than collide.
The Melbourne Storm as an organisation have come out to state that they are in no way associated with RUNIT.
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