The Duke of Sussex and all parties involved had always hoped that the 2014 Games would be just the beginning of the Invictus story and that other cities and countries would take up the challenge and continue the legacy.
The Invictus Games Foundation was established to pursue and develop the Invictus Games’ legacy. The Foundation was set up to build on the success of 2014 and broaden the concept in the future. The Foundation manages the process of selecting the hosts of future games and overseeing their delivery as well as seeking out ways of supporting the recovery and rehabilitation of international wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women beyond the Games.
The Invictus Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women, both serving and veterans. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect of all those who serve their country.
The word ‘Invictus’ means ‘unconquered’. It embodies the fighting spirit of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and what these tenacious men and women can achieve, post injury. Please click here to find out more.
HRH The Duke of Sussex was driven to bring the event to an international audience following his inspirational visit to the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013. He saw how the power of sport could help ‘wounded warriors’ physically, psychologically and socially.
Those involved, or wanting to be involved, recognise the benefit of shining a spotlight on those men and women who served their country in and now face a long recovery journey, and in many cases, a change of career and life. The power of sport, and the focus these Games provide, provides competitors the ability to reconnect with family and friends, to employment, to fitness, both physical or mental, and it also gives them a renewed opportunity to represent their country once more.
The Warrior Games is an existing domestic event in the US. HRH The Duke of Sussex was inspired by the Warrior Games on his visit to Colorado in 2013 and wanted to bring an international version of the event to the UK.
The next Invictus Games will take place in The Hague, The Netherlands from 9-16 May 2020. Please visit the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 website for more information.
Please contact the 2020 Organising Committee for information about how you can apply to volunteer at the next Invictus Games. Information can be found on www.invictusgames2020.nl.
Please contact the 2020 Organising Committee to find out how you can purchase tickets to the next Invictus Games. Information can be found on www.invictusgames2020.nl.
For more information on the Invictus Games The Hague 2020, please visit the 2020 Invictus Games website.
Many thanks for your interest in working for the Invictus Games Foundation however we are not currently recruiting.
Please send an email to info@invictusgames.org with your request.
To find the contact details of the relevant person for your nation, please email info@invictusgames.org.
We are incredibly grateful for any donations to support the work and legacy of the Invictus Games Foundation. The easiest way to donate is through our JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/invictusgamesfoundation. If you would like to have a conversation about your donation, please email Jenni Anderson, Development Director jenni.anderson@invictusgames.org.
It is UK based, but has an international remit. Whilst the Invictus Games Foundation’s head office is in the UK, following the success of the inaugural Invictus Games London 2014, and has a UK Patron, The Duke of Sussex, its work is international. Twenty nations now participate in the Invictus Games, with many more represented on our ‘We Are Invictus’ Noticeboard for international wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women (WIS), and each year more nations approach the Foundation asking to be involved with the Invictus Games.
The work the Invictus Games Foundation (IGF) does is done in partnership with many military charities and organisations across the participating nations, which do incredible work supporting the international community of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans (WIS). IGF does not work in competition with other charities, but in collaboration with them. IGF is proud to be a part of the military and adaptive sports sectors and will continue to support Service personnel and veterans as part of that global community. It is proud of its neutrality within that sector.
After the success of the inaugural Invictus Games London 2014, it was clear that the positive impact on the international community of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans (WIS) should continue. This positive impact also extended to the wider public and the businesses involved in facilitating the Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games Foundation was formed, and had planned to eventually move to a two-year cycle. This was reinforced by feedback from competitors and team management. They wanted the chance to build preparations for the Games into a longer-term recovery journey. This was announced in 2018 following a few successful Games across host cities in the USA, Canada, and Australia.
The Invictus Games Foundation has an important role in reinforcing this journey across the 2 year cycle including through sharing best practice and knowledge across the Participating Nations and the international Invictus community
We are proud to have The Duke of Sussex as our Patron. The Invictus Games was founded by him and has been built on his ideas. He remains fully committed to the Invictus Games and to the Invictus Games Foundation and will continue to do so. His military service and experience combined with his genuine compassion and understanding for those who serve their countries has played a significant part in raising awareness of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans (WIS) and the role they can continue to play in society. It has also had an impact on the way in which disability is viewed in many of the countries involved.
The Games will continue to be staged in cities around the world and The Duke’s geographical location will have no impact on the Games or his involvement with them.
The Invictus Games were set up to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for our wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women, serving or veteran (WIS). The focus has never been on Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans or on war injuries.
It is the responsibility of each participating nation to select their nation’s competitors to take part in the Games. The selection must be made from servicemen and servicewomen including veterans who have been wounded, injured, or fallen ill during, or as a consequence of service, and who have been deemed to benefit the most from participating in the Games as part of their recovery. But the methodology and the type of injury or illness represented is a decision undertaken by each participating nation.
Those that manage the participating nation’s teams, and oversee the selection of their competitors, tell us that demand for wounded, injured or sick servicemen and women (WIS) to participate is increasing and that they are seeing a much wider range of injuries – both physical and psychological – and illnesses. Since the inaugural Games in 2014, 3 other Games have taken place with The Hague due in May and Düsseldorf in 2022. More and more nations and competitors are seeking to take part at each iteration.
There are no plans to include competitors from outside the military sectors, such as members of the emergency services. We are aware of developing sporting competitions for emergency service members, and wish them the best of luck in their shared goal of using the power of sport to bring people together.
In conjunction with the host city organising committee, new participating nations are selected according to criteria put in place by the inaugural Invictus Games London 2014. This criterion is currently under review as the Invictus Games Foundation seeks to maximise its international impact on the lives of wounded, injured or sick service personnel or veterans (WIS).
The Foundation is part-funded by the organising committee responsible for hosting an Invictus Games. With the decision to move to two years, combined with an increased recognition of the impact and scope of the potential for the Foundation to do even more, internationally, in between Games time, a new model was undertaken. The employment of a Development Director in early 2019 enabled a continued focus on seeking out meaningful corporate and charitable partnerships that support our work internationally.
Where we offer fundraising opportunities directly for the Foundation, we seek to do so in tandem with our organisation partners, or by providing recovery opportunities for our beneficiaries through sporting endeavours, such as members of the international WIS community running marathons, or taking part in Ride London.