Organisers remain committed to delivering the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 for all competitors

The respective governments of Team Australia, Team Jordan and Team New Zealand have advised that their nation’s teams will not be able to travel to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020, presented by Jaguar Land Rover. Whilst disappointing news for the competitors, their friends and family, and the wider supporters, the Organising Committee in The Hague remain committed to delivering a safe and exciting Games from 29 May to June 5, 2021. Digital solutions are being explored to ensure participation for those not able to travel.

The Organising Committee are exploring digital solutions to ensure that those at home are still part of the experience. The options being developed include online virtual competitions in tandem with physical competition with those able to travel to the Invictus Games The Hague 2020. Further information on the plans to digitalise aspects of the Games will be released as they become available.

Although there is hope for a return to sporting normalcy next year, the Closing Ceremony has been revised and rescheduled to meet the possible Covid-19 limitations. In this new version, the ceremony is more intimate and compact for the competitors and their friends and families. Because of its new format, the Closing Ceremony has been rescheduled to the evening of Friday June 4 to celebrate the end of a successful edition of the Invictus Games.

Conny Wenting, CEO of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020, said, “Despite the sad news of some of the teams’ travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19, we are still coordinating the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 on the basis of 20 participating nations. The updated sports schedule has recently been shared with all teams to ensure that all competitors are preparing their training accordingly. As the competitors continually demonstrate their resilience in combating the obstacles that life has placed in front of them, my team will show their own resilience in ensuring that we deliver the Invictus Games in the best form possible next May.”

Brigadier Phil Winter, Chef de Mission Team Australia said competitors and their family and friends are very disappointed they will not be able to attend next year’s games as planned. “We understand this is a challenging time, and the health and wellbeing of our competitors and their family and friends continues to be our highest priority. Team Australia will continue to prepare for next year’s Games and look forward to participating despite not being able to travel to the Hague.”

HRH Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein, Chairman of The Hashemite Commission for Disabled Soldiers, said “I regret that Jordan will not be able to travel to the Invictus Games in 2021, due to the severe health and economic impact the pandemic has had on the Kingdom. We wish the circumstances were different, but faced with these challenges, we have had to come to this difficult decision. I would like to commend the Organising Committee of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 for the diligent work they have undertaken in the last year vis-à-vis the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

New Zealand Defence Force Invictus team Head of Mission Commodore Mat Williams said the New Zealand team was extremely disappointed they would not be able to attend the Games but that this decision was out of their hands. “Our team have worked hard to support each other through this very difficult time, and that support is ongoing. We look forward to a time when life has returned to relative normality and we can once again participate in events such as the Invictus Games.”