A New Zealand teenager died after suffering a critical head injury while playing a viral rugby-style tackle game that has become popular on social media.
Law enforcement authorities confirmed that the 19-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the hospital on Monday night. He was said to have been playing a tackle game with friends in the North Island city of Palmerston North the day before.
New Zealand Teen Dies Playing Viral Game
Inspector Ross Grantham said that the young man's tragic death was an "absolute tragedy," and expressed his condolences to his family and friends. He added that the tackle game that they placed was based on a social media-driven trend where players participate in full-contact collisions without wearing any protective gear.
Various media reports linked the viral game to the "Run It Straight" challenge that has been gaining popularity online in the past few weeks. Videos have been shared on TikTok and Instagram showing players running at full speed into one another, according to The Guardian.
Grantham said that while the game that resulted in the teenager's death was an impromptu game with friends, it highlighted the dangers of similar activities. The case comes after a championship "Run It Straight" event was hosted in Auckland last week. The competition resulted in two men suffering head injuries.
The organizers of the event, RUNIT, promotes the sport as "the world's fiercest new collision sport" that supposedly rewards "strength and grit." The event was attended by more than 1,000 people who watched participants compete for the $20,000 prize money.
The viral game involves two players, where one carries a ball and the other is the designated tackler who aims to knock the other player down. Grantham urged anyone who planned to participate in such games to think about the potential safety risks, BBC reported.
The Dangers of Controversial Online Challenges
Many people from Australia and New Zealand have been playing "Run It Straight" for a long time before it started to trend online. Some professional rugby players have even endorsed the game despite many critics warning about the possibility of head trauma and brain injury.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that the teenager's death should become a reminder for people to take "personal responsibility" regarding controversial online challenges. He said the young boy's untimely demise was incredibly tragic for his family and friends, as well as the other players involved.
Luxon said that the challenge is not something lawmakers can ban at a government level but argued that people should exercise individual responsibility. He noted that adults should also be keen about being careful with similar trends, as per the New Zealand Herald.
