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Speaking to the BBC’s Chris Evans on his breakfast show, the Prince
said that launching the Invictus Games was a full-time job but a
“great” experience at the same time.
The games, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Park in
September, will involve a variety of sports from wheelchair
basketball to indoor rowing. Prince Harry said he saw a similar
idea in the US, and “stole” the concept.
The point of them games is to help the injured servicemen get back
into the world of work using “the power of sport”. Additionally, he
told the radio station that the games were a chance for some of the
competitors to “rebuild their lives”.
The Queen’s grandson has been working to bring the event to the UK
after seeing the Warrior Games in the United States which is a
similar event.
“We decided it was such a wonderful concept, we should steal it,
make it bigger, make it better and bring it back home,” he
said.
“This is basically my full-time job at the moment, making sure that
we pull this off.”
However, despite Prince Harry saying he has enjoyed creating the
games, he admitted that there were struggles at times.
“It’s been a real struggle actually. Anyone listening out there, I
would say if you’re going to try and plan something this big in
under a year, make sure you’ve either got Sir Keith Mills with you
or don’t bother doing it at all. It’s been great.”
Sir Keith Mills is the former deputy chairman of the London
Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He has
helped the prince to organise the Invictus Games.
The sports to be featured in the Games include wheelchair
basketball, wheelchair basketball, archery, indoor rowing,
power-lifting, swimming and sitting volleyball.
Prince Harry plans to make the Invictus Games a regular event
saying “We’re still trying to work out whether we do it next year
or the year after and whether it’s going to be within the UK or
whether it’s going to be abroad.”
Around 55,000 tickets have gone on sale for the Games. The Prince
is hoping for a sell-out crowd.
Photo credit: Invictus Games 2014]]>
