Invictus games….is it actually ending???!!!

[Plumpribbon]

Prince Harry thanking Chief Exceutive of the IG who is leaving after 10 years.

PH :
’Thank you, Dominic, for a decade of relentless service to the Invictus Games Foundation.
'What a journey it has been, and how fortunate we are to work with such an incredible community of people.
'We pray we don't need the Games for another 10 years, but thanks to you, the team and our future CEO, we will be ready.'

Is it me or is that last line an extremely odd thing to say? Listen I get it, no one wants injured personnel and many of the athletes sustained injuries in wars from many years ago now. But still, it seems seismic to say such a thing when everything so far is about growing the games and including more countries.
Personally, I think it must be tough to operate the IG without the backing of the Royal foundation and the inevitable connections to government depts etc. The money/time etc. It must be very difficult. But it certainly looks like he’s looking for a way out, straight off the back of gaining the Pat Tillman award too. Strange

I think it is impossible to say without being able to access information such as the minutes of meetings, and as a consequence know who was making decisions about some of the more controversial and potentially divisive developments, eg expenses, other financials, sponsorship, partnerships, team inclusions, and events.

I asked it on another thread, but in a different way.

What do we think?

Did he decide to leave, or was he told to go?

Either way, he deserves a gong.

Hmmm there was stuff in the press a year ago about the finances of the games and how the Whistler games wasn’t well organised etc. Wasn’t there another big wig around that time that left?

So two execs have left in the last year. Doesn’t sound good.

But saying hopefully it won’t be needed in 10years is just bizarre. Imagine any charity, which needs to raise funds, saying that hopefully we won’t be around soon? So weird

Feel like he is setting out the future and it will be wound down.

There also something about them creating Invictus legacy (don’t know exactly what that is) in Germany and Australia. So maybe that’s what is slowly being put in place, Legacy programmes in counties and then shut down the games

https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/24974359/prince-harry-invictus-games-chaos/amp/

Actually that’s three of the top guys in a little over 6 months.
something is afoot

Is there a new CEO?

I think the last sentence is clumsily expressed but means 'I hope there won't be any more wars and therefore no more maimed soldiers over the next 10 years. A noble sentiment, but an optimistic one.

But that doesn't help the existing wounded soldiers - they're not going to disappear. I don't like the way Invictus has gone - and I think Meghan's involvement is irrelevant and divisive - but I hope it can keep going on a large enough scale to be an inspiration and morale booster to the veterans.

I don't know about the finances, obviously, but if H & M are in any way a drain on Invictus, they should re-think their involvement. Harry may need to 'man up' and do his best to ensure the games can continue, whether he's their figurehead or not.

It hasn't helped with all the weirdos that obsess about H&M. They should do some self reflecting. (As if 😂 hardly the types)

I see the Spectre of Projection has arrived early.

Can you try to explain more fully and clearly precisely what you mean?

I'd be really grateful.

Moonshiners · Today 06:54

I should add - lots of people are rightly concerned about the Invictus Games which have been hugely important to so many wounded veterans. It would be terrible if IG failed.

That's what matters - not Harry and Meghan, surely. I don't know how up-to-speed you are on the concerns about the way things are going with their involvement?

The ten years is realistic if there are no more western conflicts. Those injured hopefully would have had the chance to experience the games but the overheads to hold the games added with the cost of sending athletes will eventually dry up. Hopefully Invictus could diversify for long term financial help needed by veterans who have been wounded.

10 years is only realistic if you assume that those involved in disability sports do so only for a short period.

The Games is only one part of the work of the foundation, and the international aspect is its USP.

It's reach in UK is quite small compared to other military charities whose remit includes veteran sports rehab (eg H4H sports organisation dwarfs it in terms of number of participants). And definitely keep going regardless of age - I know participants who are well in to their 60s, and who are being supported with the possibility of being part of Team GB in the Paralympics

I tend not to comment on Royal Family threads but it is totally normal for charities to want to not existence and to work towards the need for their services ending.

I used to work for a DV charity that's aim was the eradication of DV - at that point, the charity would no longer be needed, we would have a massive party and disband (wishful thinking...)

Hopefully there's no need for Invictus in ten years [because their haven't been any wars, or because the care our veterans receive mean they don't need things like Invictus for rehab and purpose] is a perfectly normal thing to say.

We all wish charities didn’t have to exist, that’s obvious. But to put out a comment like that, while Invictus is still dependent on donations, is an extremely odd thing to do.

I was just reading how the Olympic Games are no longer desirable for countries to host: the costs are just too much and the benefits areslim. Very few counties are bidding now. If that’s the Olympics, then how on earth can Invictus continue long term.

Invictus also takes in those who have served but have had an accident. So I was reading about a dr who served in the army and they had a skiing accident in 2008. So it isn’t just those injured in combat. And unfortunately we can’t control such life events. So there will always be service people that would benefit from this, that’s why it doesn’t make sense what he said .

The next games are to be held in Birmingham which has recently declared itself bankrupt. Invictus must fund the lot as a city that can’t afford adequate bin collection can’t possibly contribute to the cost of the games.

Yeh I read the BCC isn’t providing any finances for the games and that it’s govt money (£26 mil) but the optics look bad- a council that is bankrupt and cutting services, hosting this event.

In fact it looks so bad, that I was wondering why in earth they went with Birmingham.

The only thing I can think of, is maybe Washington DC wasn’t willing to cover the costs, or the costs would be too high in terms of security. It seems there’s a crime bubble there at the moment.