A 19-year-old has died after playing the viral Run It Straight game in New Zealand, prompting urgent calls to ban the brutal tackle trend.
A teenage boy’s tragic death in New Zealand has intensified calls to ban a violent new contact game inspired by some of the most brutal hits in American football and rugby.
It is known as “Run It Straight.” The game puts two players against each other in a full-speed head-on collision, which comes without helmets, pads, or any protective gear. The player who overpowers the other is then declared the winner.
This is promoted as “the world’s fiercest, new collision sport” by its organizers, and the game has spread very fast across social media, mainly among teens, with devastating consequences.
Nineteen-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died on Monday after suffering a serious head injury during a backyard version of the game in Palmerston North, New Zealand. According to his uncle, Pete Satterthwaite, Ryan had taken part in the challenge during a friend’s birthday celebration over the weekend.
“I thought it was a stupid idea the moment I saw it on the news,” Pete told CNN affiliate RNZ. “The goal is to hurt the other person. You lead with your shoulder, your head—someone was bound to get seriously hurt. I just never thought it would be Ryan.”
The incident has prompted widespread alarm and condemnation. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon publicly urged people to stop participating in the game, calling it a “dumb thing to do.”
“To those organizing and promoting this on social media, stop. I can’t be any clearer,” Luxon said.
Sport Minister Mark Mitchell also announced that the government is exploring legal options to address what he called “unregulated activities that pose a significant level of risk.”
Run It Straight draws from the high-impact nature of American football and rugby but removes all safety measures, which the traditional sports have improved with rules and equipment to protect these players. this game continues on unfiltered physicality.
The RUNIT Championship League, a company that is behind the game, has marketed it as a popular spectacle, with plenty of thousands of dollars in prize money at events across Australia and New Zealand. The company was founded by Christian Lesa, also known as “Charizma,” who told ABC Australia that he was inspired by YouTuber Donald De La Haye (“Deestroying”), known for his viral one-on-one football challenges.
RUNIT’s official tournaments feature participants sprinting into each other for cash prizes. The upcoming finals in June were set to offer 200,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately \$118,800).
Experts warn the game is dangerously unsafe. Professor Patria Hume of Auckland University of Technology said the force of Run It Straight collisions is over five times greater than standard rugby tackles.
“Ryan’s death was preventable,” she said. “These events are built for social media impact, not for safety. Unlike rugby or MMA, they lack structure and purpose, and come without protective rules or oversight.”
Stacey Mowbray, CEO of brain injury advocacy group Headway, called the trend “reckless, glorified violence.”
“This isn’t a sport. It’s dangerous. Social media glamorized it, especially to teens, but the risks are extreme,” Mowbray told CNN.
In a statement, RUNIT officials said the game should not be imitated outside their events, which they claim follow strict safety protocols, including participant screenings, medical staff on-site, and regulated tackle zones between the shoulders and hips.
Just last week, two players were knocked unconscious during a RUNIT event in Auckland’s Trusts Arena, with one suffering a seizure. this is very bad for the game.
Following these incidents, the arena’s interim CEO Lynette Adams announced a ban on future RUNIT events, which he cited “huge concern for the high-risk nature of the competition.”
The tragedy has led schools and councils across New Zealand to ban this type of game. New Zealand Rugby also issued a public warning, urging people to avoid participating and encouraging young athletes to pursue contact sports in structured, club-based environments with proper training and supervision.
At Palmerston North Boys’ High School—where Ryan had once studied—Principal David Bovey was preparing to warn students about the game when news of Ryan’s death broke.
“It’s an absolute tragedy,” he said. “Teenage boys often feel invincible, but this has been a sobering wake-up call. We have to make sure they understand the real dangers.”
As the nation grapples with the consequences of this viral challenge, pressure is mounting for a formal ban before another life is lost.
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