Prince HarryInvictus's Invictus Games has replaced the use of guns with lasers, according to multiple reports.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, will host the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from February 8 to February 16. Harry founded the competition for injured or ill servicemen or women in 2014.
Harry switched to using lasers in the biathlon event – which consists of Nordic snowboarding and target shooting – instead of rifles, which were traditionally used, according to reports from the UK. telegraph newspaper and Field sports news.
However, Christopher Pride, a competitor on the US biathlon team, criticized the decision.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Prince Harry's Invictus Games will return to the UK for the first time in a decade. Birmingham, England, has been chosen over Washington, D.C., as the host city for the 2027 Invictus Games. The tournament allows veterans and injured military personnel from around the world to meet and compete in various (…)
Speaking in a video message to Fieldsports News, Pride said: “After spending some time shooting weapons on the range, I can see several drawbacks.”
“We had a couple of issues with the cold and some of the (laser) guns not working. The snow also seemed to be obstructing some targets.”
Us Weekly I have reached out to the Invictus Foundation for comment. But the organization's spokesman told… Daily Mail: “The main reason for laser is inclusivity.”
“(It) can be used by a wide range of people with disabilities,” they added.
Snow blocking the lasers “will not be the case” because “there will be officials on site to ensure rifle readiness,” the spokesman said.
The decision to remove guns from the games comes after changes occurred in the sport of modern pentathlon during the 2024 Paris Olympics, in which laser beams were used instead of pistols.
The Duke of Sussex will celebrate the tournament's tenth anniversary in 2024. Speaking to TSN In november, harry said their anniversary was a “Really exciting” turn.
“The Invictus movement started in 2014. It is a sports platform used to rehabilitate and support wounded soldiers and veterans,” Harry said.
“We have 25 countries, and they are growing all the time. “It is really an opportunity for the individuals themselves and their families to heal and rehabilitate,” he added.
Before the tournament was launched, Harry had Long-term military career. He joined the British Army in 2005 and went on to serve in Afghanistan. He retired in 2015, one year after the launch of the Invictus Games in London.
“I have witnessed first-hand how the power of sport can positively impact the lives of wounded, injured and ill men and women on their recovery journey,” Harry said in his speech. Launch games In 2014.
