Vigilance can reveal that for the first time, the Armed Forces are delighted to field a team of British servicemen and women who will take part as special guests in the 2012 Warrior Games presented by Deloitte. Their participation is supported and funded by the UK charity, Help for Heroes (H4H).
The UK team will comprise up to 20 athletes from the Armed Forces, as well as staff from Personnel Recovery Centres and Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court. The team will take part in the Warrior Games, a competitive Paralympic sporting event for wounded, injured and sick Service Personnel and veterans, hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC). The squad will be taking part in friendly competition as guest athletes against U.S. service members and veterans at the event which will run from April 30 – May 5, 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA.
The Warrior Games presented by Deloitte – one of H4H’s corporate partners in the UK – was created in 2010 as an introduction to Paralympic sports for wounded, injured and sick service members and veterans. More than 200 wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women and veterans are expected to compete in seven sports in the 2012 event. The UK team will compete in five sports - archery, cycling, swimming, track & field and sitting volleyball.
Since 2008 the Battle Back programme has supported individuals in adaptive sport and adventurous training, which helps wounded, injured and sick Service Personnel gain confidence and return to an active life. Battle Back is a Ministry Of Defence led initiative in partnership with and funded by both Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion.
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir David Richards said: “The 2012 Warrior Games is a fantastic opportunity for our wounded and injured service personnel to enjoy themselves and reap the benefits of competitive sport. I am delighted that British Forces will again be building on the close relationship we have with our U.S. allies. Sport is a powerful tool in the recovery of our people. Battle Back allows individuals to focus on what they can achieve, accelerating their physical, psychological and social recovery. I am proud to support these excellent games.”
Bryn Parry, CEO & co-founder, Help for Heroes said: “At a time when David Cameron has been visiting Barack Obama to further cement the UK’s relationship with the U.S., as well as to discuss what they have called ‘the next stage phase of the transition’ in Afghanistan, we are delighted that Help for Heroes will support a UK team into such a high profile U.S. event. We know how important sport is in recovery and are delighted to have supported Battle Back since its inception in 2008. This is further enhanced through the Battle Back Phoenix programme which is available in the Personnel Recovery Centres for Service Personnel and veterans. Our participation in the Warrior Games is significant in raising awareness of the work that takes place worldwide in supporting wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, especially as we approach a busy year in sport.”
Chief Executive Officer of the USOC, Scott Blackmun said: “With our athletes Britain-bound this summer for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are excited to host our friends from the UK for this exciting competition. The Warrior Games truly exemplify the power not just of sport, but of the human spirit. The USOC and our partners at the DoD and VA are committed to ensuring that physical activity programming is available at the community level for our nation’s heroes to participate in sport.”
The competition, hosted by the USOC, is also supported by the Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, USO, Fisher House Foundation, The Daniels Fund, BP, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.