Tuesday May 24, 2022 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
It’s official with an announcement on BC soil! The 2025 Invictus Games are coming to BC, including winter sports.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the event will be a “celebration of sport, recovery and the human spirit”.
BC Premier John Horgan said BC is matching the federal government’s $15 million “to ensure it comes off without a hitch”. As well, $1 million will be given to Solider On organization to help train and equipment Canada’s team that goes to the Invictus Games.
The announcement was made at Rogers Arena in Vancouver today, livestreamed at 2:15 pm.
Trudeau and Horgan were joined by Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and Melanie Mark, B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The speakers were joined by veterans and members of True Patriot Love organization that won the Invictus Games bid.
First time with winter sports:
This will be the first Invictus Games to include winter sports, which Trudeau of course said that Canadian participants will excel at.
The games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler. The 2025 Invictus Games closing ceremonies will be held at Rogers Arena.
Naturally, this will be a huge tourism draw to BC and Canada in 2025.
Today’s Invictus Games news was very popular on social media (even though the Vancouver/Whistler location was announced in April by Prince Harry), with much adoration for Prince Harry for his role in creating the games.
Prince Harry’s vision:
The Invictus Games Foundation was created and launched by Prince Harry, after his military service during which time he met and worked with military veterans who sustained injuries and noted the impact on their mental health and well-being.
One of today’s speakers said today how being involved in the Invictus Games is — for many war veterans — an activity that saves lives and saves marriages.
It was stated today by the True Patriot Love (veterans transition network) rep that one in 10 war vets “would have taken their own lives if not for Invictus”.
The stress of active military service can lead to mental health stresses including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide.
About the 2025 event:
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, announced in April that Vancouver and Whistler won the bid to host the eight-day international sports competition for wounded and ill military veterans in February 2025.
Over 500 athletes from 22 nations (including Ukraine) are expected to compete.
The games will feature alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, skeleton and wheelchair curling as well as swimming, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball.
Invictus started in 2014:
This is the second time Canada has been chosen to host the Invictus Games. The first time was in 2017 in Toronto (539 competitors from 17 nations).
The event has grown over the years. The first Invictus Games was held in London, UK in 2014 (409 competitors from 13 nations).
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