Outrage has erupted after a brutal collision sport linked to a teen’s death launched a new commercial league, with furious viewers from around the world demanding it be shut down.
The controversial sport called ‘run it straight’ attracted major backlash in Australia and New Zealand in 2025 following the death of a teenager in an unsanctioned event.
Nineteen-year-old New Zealander Ryan Satterthwaite died in May last year after suffering a catastrophic head injury during an impromptu ‘run it straight’ game with friends.
The controversial, but viral, trend sees two individuals sprint directly at each other for a high-impact, full-body collision.
And it has now been revived by a different organisation under a different name, with a sellout crowd of 5000 cramming in to watch it.
The Run Nation Championship launched to a near sell-out crowd at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion this week, transforming the viral ‘run it straight’ trend into a ticketed spectacle complete with prize money, branding and on-field medical teams.
A packed house filled the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney for the Run Nation Championship on Saturday
The competition revived the run it straight trend, where two athletes charge at each other for brutal collisions
Several small events were shut down in 2025 and the RunIt Championship was moved to Dubai
But as videos of bone-jarring hits flooded social media, so too did a wave of anger from viewers who believe the sport should never have progressed beyond backyard bravado.
‘Seen some vision from the Run Nation event tonight at the Hordern Pavilion. What a disgrace that this is even a thing,’ one viewer posted.
‘Makes me extremely mad seeing people encouraging it and the fact they’ve commercialised something extremely dangerous. This should never have happened,’ one user wrote.
Another asked bluntly: ‘Has to be illegal right?’
Others questioned whether the competition could even be described as sport.
‘Would you class this as a real sport?’ one post asked.
Another described it as ‘the most unhinged sport I’ve seen in a while, two dudes sprinting full speed into each other like human wrecking balls.’
The backlash follows the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite in New Zealand in May last year after he suffered a catastrophic head injury during an impromptu ‘run it straight’ game with friends.
Police described the incident as ‘innocuous,’ noting he did not strike a solid object. It was the sheer force of the collision that proved fatal. His life support was turned off the following night.
The tragedy ignited intense scrutiny across Australia and New Zealand, with schools banning the game, councils restricting events in public parks and sporting bodies distancing themselves from the craze.
New Zealand 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite was killed after taking part in a backyard run it straight game with his friends
All Blacks star Ardie Savea called for unsanctioned, backyard events to stop before another life was lost
New Zealand All Blacks star Ardie Savea admitted he had taken part in unsanctioned events when he was younger and called for more action after the death of Satterthwaite.
‘I just obviously don’t want anyone getting hurt and losing lives. I’m just encouraging everyone to be safe and condolences to our brother and his family,’ he said at the time.
Health experts and neuroscientists condemned the activity as a dangerous ‘hit-fest’ that risks concussions, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and second-impact syndrome.
Yet despite that backlash, organisers have doubled down, arguing that professional events differ markedly from unregulated copycat games.
Run Nation co-founder Tremaine Fernandez has said strict rules are in place to prevent front-on head clashes, with contact limited to the torso and competitors vetted before taking part.
Medical personnel, including doctors and paramedics, are stationed on the field, and athletes are covered by insurance.
Supporters insist the sport is no different from other combat or collision disciplines, framing it as a test of strength and resilience.
Newcastle forward Lochlan Piper said he was drawn to the ‘contact’ and ‘energy’ of the format, adding: ‘I like the violence of it.’
The final of the RunIt Championship was moved to Dubai, attracting talent including former rugby league star Kevin Proctor (pictured right)
Proctor was knocked out cold at the event and suffered a serious head injury, but did not regret taking part in the championship
Another competitor, Jayden Young, said participants understood the risks.
‘Every sport has their pros and cons, it’s a contact sport,’ he said.
‘No-one’s going into this sport thinking accidents or things can’t happen.’
But critics argue that codifying and commercialising full-speed collisions only amplifies the danger.
In May, a safety spokesperson connected to the wider trend acknowledged a concussion rate of around 20 per cent at one event, attributing some injuries to ‘illegal’ techniques.
Brain injury specialists warn that even sub-concussive blows can accumulate over time.
Dr Andrew Affleck, a senior hospital scientist and brain bank manager at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, previously described the format as ‘a hit-fest’ designed to cause maximum damage.
‘They probably do not fully appreciate that each knock might be another step toward potential impairment,’ he said, warning that repeated impacts increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
The collision-based sport has been around for years, but gained popularity in 2025 with paid events popping up in Australia and New Zealand
A host of smaller RunIt evens were cancelled in Australia and New Zealand last year after the death of Satterthwaite
Mental health advocates have also criticised the spectacle for what they see as the glorification of harmful masculinity.
Shenei Penaia, a mental health worker, warned young men were absorbing the message that ‘their bodies are disposable, pain is performative and safety comes second to going viral.’
Former players and coaches have expressed alarm that the craze undermines years of progress in making rugby codes safer.
One veteran coach said before the teen’s death that he feared a tragedy was inevitable in a format where collision, not evasion, is the objective.
‘We never trained to knock each other out like that,’ he said.
Authorities in New Zealand have examined legal options to restrict or ban unregulated high-risk collision events, though no nationwide prohibition has been enacted.
The RUNIT Championship League was forced to move its final from New Zealand to Dubai in June 2025 due to safety concerns and severe backlash.
Former rugby league player Kevin Proctor suffered a serious head injury at the Dubai event in sickening footage that went viral.
However Run Nation organisers maintain that comparisons to backyard contests are unfair and that their rules, screening processes and medical oversight mitigate risk.
They have repeatedly urged young people not to attempt the challenge outside sanctioned events.
‘Do not try this at home. These are trained professionals,’ Fernandez said.
