A young person has tragically passed away in New Zealand after engaging in a rugby-inspired trend, where participants collide head-on without any protective gear, according to police.
Driven by social media and often performed in front of large audiences, the “run-it-straight” challenge has rapidly gained popularity in New Zealand and Australia.
These organized competitions boast thousands of dollars in prize money but have raised serious concerns about the risks of concussion and other significant injuries.
A 19-year-old lost his life on New Zealand’s North Island after participating in the game with friends over the weekend, as reported by police.
“Sadly, he passed away in the hospital last night,” they stated.
“We strongly advise anyone considering joining such a game or event to reflect on the substantial safety and injury risks involved,” they added.
Mr. Grantham noted that the teenager was partaking in an “impromptu game with friends” rather than a scheduled event.
“The tackle game played by this group was inspired by a social media trend where participants engage in full-contact collisions without any protective gear,” he explained.
‘Horrendous’
Organized run-it-straight events have attracted attention from former professional rugby players.
Former Leicester, Montpellier, and Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo notably participated in one such event earlier this year.
Experts have compared this trend to a combat sport, warning that participants are at considerable risk of serious concussions.
One organized competition in Australia referred to it as the “world’s fiercest, new collision sport.”
According to the competition, it involves one runner and one tackler charging at each other from 20 meters apart.
A run-it-straight event in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, was temporarily stopped last week when a participant began convulsing on the ground, local media reported.
The brain injury charity Headway has denounced these competitions.
“There are some horrendous and really distressing videos,” said CEO Stacey Mowbray on Radio New Zealand.
“Witnessing seizures and clear signs of brain injury is distressing,” she continued.
Rugby and other sports are currently confronting an increasing body of evidence that links head contact to degenerative brain conditions.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is known to cause violent mood swings, dementia, and depression.
Injuries resulting from head impacts have also been associated with other disorders, including motor neurone disease, early onset dementia, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
