Photo: runitstraight24
A sports scientist has condemned the controversial collision sport Run It Straight, calling it a reckless and dangerous spectacle.
And the new event's own safety spokesperson says he would be reluctant to take part, fearing the wrath of his other half.
Run it Straight, or 'RUNIT', is a rugby-like competition which involves a collision between a ball runner and a defender, running full speed at each other.
Two events are being held in Auckland this week, with thousands of dollars on offer. The participant who "dominates" the contact is deemed the winner.
At Monday night's event in Auckland, a quarter of all who took part ended up with a concussion.
Run It safety spokesperson Billy Coffey told RNZ's Midday Report the two individuals used "illegal" techniques.
"We had two concussions out of our eight runners, and those two concussions, the first one was from a guy who was an American-based and he led with his head, and the second one was the same concept."
Coffey said so far, Run It had a 20 percent concussion rate - but claimed that was better than in the UFC.
Competitors were required to wear mouthguards, he said, but headgear was optional.
"We've got an ambulance on site… We've got liability. Everything's covered. There's waivers, medicals beforehand, medicals after. There's an ambulance on site."
The annual cost of treating sport-related concussion rose nearly 25 percent to $80 million last year, according to figures released by the Accident Compensation Corporation.
AUT professor Patria Hume, an expert in sports biomechanics, said the sport contradicts decades of scientific evidence on head injury risk and was a "reckless and dangerous spectacle".
"I know that people find it exciting to have, you know, people running at each other and smashing each other up. But in terms of the short-term effects and brain injury, and also the potential long-term effects of brain injury, I'd like people to really think, is it really worth it?"
She said concussions and repeated high-force impacts to the head - even without immediate symptoms - could lead to serious brain conditions."
"The deliberate design of this event to maximise impact is not only irresponsible - it's scientifically indefensible. We've spent years building evidence-based strategies to reduce head and neck injuries in rugby and contact sports. This event ignores all of that."
Former league internationals Dean Lonergan and Mark Carroll have also raised concerns over its safety.
Coffey said the event would "bring some fire back into people's bellies who may have had to retire from the sport and are kind of stuck with a single-income family working two jobs to make things happen for their families".
"These guys, they're born warriors, they want to do this and they're stuck at home, have to retire early.
"Just because of that financial crisis, they're stuck in two jobs because maybe their partner or wife or whoever's staying at home can't afford to send [their children to] a daycare or doesn't want to and wants to spend more time with the family, and this gives these people a chance to get off off the couch, find that fire again in front of their friends and family and relive it."
Asked if he would take part, Coffey said he would "love to… but my wife may get a bit cranky about me. But I feel like I'm gonna pull the boots on eventually.
"My wife just doesn't love me coming home sore and complaining the next day, trying to look after my kids."
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