A group of concussion researchers have likened Run It Straight events to “dwarf tossing”, where organisers turn “real human risk and harm into a spectacle”.

There are growing calls to ban these events – where two people tun head-to-head at each other before making body-jarring contact.

These ‘sporting spectacles’ have gained popularity in recent times – with competitors promised thousands of dollars for winning.

The social media driven craze made international headlines earlier this year when 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died after suffering head injuries in an impromptu contest with friends.

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald reporter Neil Reid is with us to take us through the latest on the world’s newest full-contact competition. 

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

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