‘Dangerous Spectacle’: Health Experts Push For Run It Straight Ban

Run It Straight is a “dangerous spectacle” that is
harming young people and must be banned immediately, say
Aotearoa’s leading trauma clinicians.

Three frontline
medical professionals issued the warning in a hard-hitting
editorial published today in the New Zealand Medical
Journal.

It follows the death of Ryan Satterthwaite,
19, who died during a backyard Run It Straight-style
game.

The editorial, written by trauma nurse Sarah
Logan, surgical registrar Rachel Lauchlan, and general
surgeon Dr Christopher Wakeman, calls on councils, schools,
and sporting bodies to take urgent action to prevent further
harm.

“RunIt Straight is not a sport. It is a
dangerous spectacle that has already claimed a young life.
It’s continued promotion is medically indefensible and
ethically unjustifiable.”

The unregulated challenge
involves two people sprinting toward each other and
colliding at full force, often without helmets.

Social
media clips celebrate knockouts and impact hits, but health
experts say what they’re really watching is long-term brain
trauma unfold.

“Even a single concussive blow can
cause permanent cognitive, emotional and behavioural
impairment, particularly in adolescents and young adults
whose brains are still developing,” the authors
wrote.

“Repetitive collisions of this kind increase
the likelihood of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a
progressive degenerative brain disease.”

The health
experts want councils to not allow Run It Straight events,
schools and clubs to ban the practice, sports stars to stop
endorsing it, social media platforms to remove harmful
content, and public health campaigns to raise awareness of
the risks.

“We cannot afford another preventable death
… Let this be the last death.”

In May 2025,
Satterthwaite died after suffering a severe head injury.
Also in May, at a Run It Championship League event at
Auckland’s Trust Arena, two participants were knocked
unconscious, one suffered a seizure, and an estimated one in
four competitors showed signs of concussion.

The
editorial also challenges claims that the events help build
community pride and service saying.

“Young men are
pressured to earn respect through violence, and injury is
glorified as a badge of honour. We must dismantle this idea.
Real mana is not shown through unregulated impact, but
through insight and true sport tactics, and lies in caring
for oneself and others.”

There are at least two
separate groups associated with Run It Straight-style
events, the grassroots team led by Christian Lesa, also
known as Charizma.

There’s a commercial competition
called the Run It Championship League, which hosted the
Trust Arena event in Auckland in
May.

Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Tauanuu
Nick Bakulich commented on the grassroots group who
attempted to host events in South Auckland.

“Our local
board has made a stance with a recent event that was due to
take place in Māngere, which we did not endorse,” Tauanuu
said.

“This very recent death, tragic death, clearly
outlines why we should be looking at banning such
activity.”

Local Democracy Reporting asked Tauanuu
how communities could better balance cultural pride,
masculinity, and community spirit without compromising
safety.

“It’s definitely not through an event like Run
It Straight. There’s lots of other opportunities out there
for our people, playing a sport in a controlled environment,
or even weightlifting, bodybuilding, body sculpturing, all
very popular at the moment.”

Auckland Council
confirmed it has not approved any Run It Straight events and
said its permitting process cannot be used to ban them under
current bylaws.

“We are only aware of one event being
held on council land, which was held at a South Auckland
park without any council notification or endorsement,” said
Taryn Crewe, General Manager of Parks and Community
Facilities.

“If the organisers of Run-it Straight-type
events had approached the council to seek a permit, we would
be unlikely to approve it because of the serious health and
safety impacts.”

The council is open to improving its
processes as new sports evolve, to ensure risks are
effectively managed on public land, she said.

“It is
always helpful when sports codes show leadership by calling
out unsafe practices. Players have a huge influence as
respected role models on how some of these activities
evolve.”

Tauanuu said council systems are robust,
but warns informal Run It Straight events show why
communities must stay alert and well-informed.

“It’s
quite clear what our parks and reserves are used for. And
this type of activity is certainly outside of those
parameters.”

RUNIT Championship League and the Run It
Straight owner and CEO, Christian Lesa, were approached for
comment.

LDR is local body journalism
co-funded by RNZ and NZ On
Air.

© Scoop Media