- .Invictus Games, would 'have a long-lasting impact' on ex-soldiers, he said
- .Flew to U.S. to see forces take part in similar competition - Warrior Games
- .Games will be 'Paralympic' championship for injured servicemen and women
Prince Harry launched an inspirational Paralympic-style sporting event for injured servicemen and women today in typical hands-on style.
After giving a speech to officially unveil the Invictus Games, the fourth in line to the throne got down on the floor for a game of volleyball with military personnel who had lost multiple limbs in Afghanistan and other international conflicts.
Harry has been working to bring the event to the UK after flying to the US last year to see members of Britain's Armed Forces taking part in a similar competition, the Warrior Games.
Whenever you see this image, tap to view all the images in a gallery
Prince Harry speaking at the Copper Box in the Queen Elizabeth Park, London where he announced the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting championship for injured servicemen and women which will be held this year
The prince has been trying to bring the event to the UK after flying to the US last year to see members of Britain's Armed Forces taking part in a similar competition, the Warrior Games
Prince Harry took a hands on approach as he joined in with a game of volleyball at the launch with some of the ex-servicemen and women
On the programme will be athletics, archery, wheelchair basketball, road cycling, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, swimming and sitting volleyball
He said the Invictus Games, would 'have a long-lasting impact' on those who fought for their country
At the official launch held in the Copper Box arena at the former Olympic Park in London the prince declared the competition would ‘have a long-lasting impact’ on those who fought for their country.
And joking about his inspiration, he said the Warrior Games competition was ‘such a good idea by the Americans that it had to be stolen’.
Harry said: ‘I have witnessed first-hand how the power of sport can positively impact the lives of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women in their journey of recovery.
‘The Invictus Games will focus on what they can achieve post-injury and celebrate their fighting spirit through an inclusive sporting competition that recognises the sacrifice they have made.
‘I am extremely proud to be bringing an event like this to the UK for the first time and believe it can have a long-lasting impact on the well-being of those who have served their nations so bravely.’
Organisers said more than 300 wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, serving and veteran, from 13 nations would compete in eight adaptive sports in London from September 10 -14. On the programme will be athletics, archery, wheelchair basketball, road cycling, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, swimming and sitting volleyball.
Countries taking part range from Afghanistan and Iraq to Germany, Italy and New Zealand. Events will be staged in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with track and field events at Lee Valley athletics centre. 
Speaking at the official launch held in the Copper Box arena at the former Olympic Park in London, he joked about his inspiration, and said the Warrior Games competition was 'such a good idea by the Americans that it had to be stolen
Harry, a serving Army officer who wore fatigues at the launch, gave a short presentation at the Copper Box and told the invited audience about his experiences meeting wounded British service personnel who competed in the US Warrior Games in 2012
Harry said: 'The Invictus Games will focus on what they can achieve post-injury and celebrate their fighting spirit through an inclusive sporting competition that recognises the sacrifice they have made'
The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will contribute a significant grant to the staging of the games
The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will contribute a significant grant to the staging of the games.
In an interview after the launch, Harry urged members of the public to get behind the initiative, insisting that it wasn’t about supporting what had happened in Afghanistan but about the sacrifice of a remarkable group of men and women.
‘It's not about supporting the conflict in Afghanistan, it's not about supporting war, it's not about supporting the forces themselves.....just come along and show your support,’ he said.
‘Look at the journey these guys have been through....and also take the opportunity, if you haven't done so, and I am sure there are a lot out there, to come and sit in these seats in these iconic venues.’
The prince also expressed his deep-seated fear that people would forget about the on-going battle faced by injured service personnel once Britain pulls out of Afghanistan.
‘We are drawing down from Afghanistan and people will forget this because something else will come into the news. Look at the news, see how busy the world is at the moment,’ he said.
Organisers said more than 300 wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, serving and veteran, from 13 nations would compete in eight adaptive sports in London from September 10 - 14
'As I have said the games itself is an excuse to bring attention to the legacy [of servicemen and women]. We want to get as many of these men and women back into society, giving them jobs and to make sure that all the core values they have been taught in the services to make them amazing, wonderful, strong inspirational people...that they bring it back into the community for the younger generation. Why wouldn't you do that?
‘This is not about the Games, this is about the legacy, using the games to catapult that to the forefront of people's minds. ‘
Speaking from the heart about the plight of the many hundreds of injured soldiers, Harry said he believed the Invictus Games would play an important part of their recovery.
'I think the [Warrior] Games [in the US] had such a profound effect on every single individual that actually took part in it,’ he said.
'Finally they get the chance to set their mind to a task. Bear in mind these are military people who have been cut down in their prime. They want to have a goal in life. To be told in a day, ‘right that's it, no you’re not going to walk again, you’re not going to see again’. This is an opportunity for them and members of the public as well to walk in together with one goal as such.
'It's life changing, really it's life changing. Listening to them talk about it is inspiring.
Prince Harry with the wheelchair Basketball teams at the Copper Box in the Queen Elizabeth Park, London
There seemed to be a gap in the conversation between the Prince and London Mayor Boris Johnson, as he attended the launch of the games
'They see this as an opportunity for the next six months to set their mind on a goal, to bring themselves back into society when some of them feel, now that they are disabled, they are pushed aside.
'They are not. This is so much more than that. ‘
Although there is going to be a competitive edge to the Games, Harry stressed that it was one of the few sporting occasions that the taking part really mattered.
‘It's not about the winning or losing, the fact that the guys have got to this stage to be able to take part in these events, they have already won in my mind,’ he said.
‘We wanted this to be as inclusive as possible.
'I just hope that September, summertime this year, the sun will be out and it will be wonderful event. So please come. '
Dressed in his arm fatigues, Harry, a serving Army officer who recently quit flying the Apache attack helicopter to take a desk job in London in order to work on the Invictus project, added: ‘Hearing the stories that came back from the [Warrior] games really ignited something inside me and made me want to basically broaden this to a wider audience.
‘I saw first-hand the power of sport to inspire recovery, supporting rehabilitation and demonstrating life beyond disability - a group of inspirational people proving anything is possible.
‘Why bring it to the UK? Well it was such a great concept by the Americans that it had to be stolen, quite simple as that, really.
Prince Harry was inspired after a visit to the Warrior Games in America last year. He is pictured as he participates in a seated volleyball exhibition match, in May 2013
He added: 'This is an inclusive games and we're going to have hopefully 100 UK competitors, 100 from America and the rest of the 180 is going to be made up from other nations'
‘I wanted to bring this inspirational event to a broader and more international audience.’
Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the launch of the event as a ‘wonderful opportunity to recognise the commitment of those who serve in the United Kingdom's and our allies' armed forces and to pay tribute to the sacrifice of those who are wounded or injured.’
Also present at the launch was London Mayor Boris Johnson who quipped, much to the prince’s amusement, that when Harry first suggested his idea he thought he was resurrecting the ill-fated It’s A Royal Knockout or an international version of the Eton Wall Game.
But he went on to describe the Invictus Games as ‘a winner’.
The name has been taken from William Ernest Henley’s famous poem which says: ‘I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.’
Invictus also means, appropriately, in Latin ‘unconquered’.
No comments:
Post a Comment