I called 'Run It Straight' stupid

Now someone’s dead

The other day, I said what a lot of people were probably thinking but didn’t say out loud – how unbelievably stupid the “Run It Straight” game is. I criticised how it’s gained popularity, particularly among Māori and Pasifika youth, as if it were just harmless fun or a badge of toughness. Now, someone’s son is dead.

A 19-year-old young man from Palmerston North has tragically lost his life after taking part in this reckless game, a social media-fuelled trend where players run directly into each other, full force, with no protective gear, no rules, no referees. Just bodies colliding for the thrill, for the likes, for the bravado.

According to Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham, the teenager suffered a critical head injury during an impromptu session of “Run It Straight” on Sunday afternoon and died in hospital on Monday night. Let that sink in. A young life, full of potential, cut short by a game that has no purpose other than to prove who can hit or take a hit the hardest.

This isn’t sport. This isn’t culture. This is dangerous, plain and simple. And it’s a bitter irony that just days after I called out the absurdity of it all, this tragedy unfolded.

My deepest condolences go to the young man's family and friends. No one should have to endure this kind of pain. But grief shouldn’t be the only thing that follows this loss. We need serious conversations – in homes, in schools, online – especially in Māori and Pasifika communities, where this trend has found the most traction.

This is not about shaming cultures. It’s about protecting them. It's about challenging toxic ideas of masculinity that say pain equals pride, that risking your health is some kind of proof of your worth.

The death of this teenager should be a turning point. “Run It Straight” needs to be called out for what it is – reckless, senseless, and now, fatal. If we wait for the next tragedy, we’ve already failed.