A 19-year-old New Zealand man, Ryan Satterthwaite, died after sustaining a “serious head injury” while participating in a viral tackle game named “Run It Straight.” He was injured after being tackled and would later succumb to his injuries at a local hospital.
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According to a news release issued by New Zealand Police, the incident took place on Sunday, May 27, at Palmerston North in North Island. Reportedly, Satterthwaite suffered a serious head injury after being tackled. He was participating in a game of “Run It Straight,” part of the popular “Run It” trend.
As reported by the release, the game involves its participants to “compete in full-contact collisions without protective gear.” Normally, games of this nature are held in controlled environments, but this incident stemmed from an impromptu occasion.
Ryan Satterthwaite, who remains unnamed, was taken to a local hospital. A day later, on Monday, May 26, he succumbed to his injuries.
“While this was an impromptu game among friends, not a planned event, this tragic outcome does highlight the inherent safety concerns with such an activity,” the release read. “We would urge anyone thinking about taking part in a game or event like this to consider the significant safety and injury risks.”
‘Run It Straight’ Incidents
This has not been the first time that the “Run It” games have caused injuries in New Zealand. According to Radio New Zealand, on May 21, a “Run It Straight” event was held at Auckland’s Trust Arena. It gathered more than 1,000 people. Two men participating in the event were knocked unconscious, with one of the two reportedly having a seizure.
Backlash following the incident caused the arena to cancel any future events with the promoter. Runit Championship League would then issue a statement at the time, addressing the competition’s incident.
“All combat sports like boxing, martial arts or combat-style activities should only be held in highly controlled environments,” the statement said. “We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be done under the strict conditions outlined.”
In an interview with The New Zealand Herald, Dr. Helen Murray talked about the risks of the Run It games. She is an expert in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
“From a CTE standpoint, we know that exposure to repeated head acceleration events is the biggest risk factor for CTE pathology,” Murray said. “Therefore, finding ways to reduce these impacts in contact sports is a priority for player safety.”
“It appears there is no attempt to mitigate head acceleration events in this activity,” Murray added. “The risk of significant injury is high given the intent to collide.”
Satterthwaite’s death is currently being investigated by the New Zealand Police. It, however, is not being treated as a criminal matter.