Prince HarryThe Invictus Games have replaced the use of guns and 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. The competition for injured or ill servicemen or women was founded by Harry in 2014.
Harry has switched to lasers for the biathlon event – which combines skiing and target shooting – instead of guns, which were traditionally used, according to UK’s reports. The Telegraph newspaper and Fieldsports News.
However, this decision was criticized by Christopher Bryde, a competitor on the American biathlon team.
Speaking in a video message to Fieldsports News, Bryde said: “After having time to shoot guns down here, I see a lot of damage.”
“We had a few problems with the cold and some of them [laser] guns just don’t work. And the snow seemed to prevent some of the things that were intended,” he continued.
Us Weekly has reached out to the Invictus Foundation for comment. However, the spokesperson of this organization told this newspaper Daily Mail: “The main reason for lasers is inclusion.”
“[They] it can be used by many people with disabilities,” they added.
A spokesman said the snow blockade “will not be the case” because “there will be officers on site to ensure firearms readiness.”
The decision to remove firearms from the games follows changes to the modern pentathlon during the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will use lasers instead of pistols.
The Duke of Sussex celebrated the tournament’s tenth anniversary in 2024. Talking to TSN In November, Harry said the anniversary was “a really exciting thing”.
“The Invictus organization started back in 2014. It’s a sports field that is used to rehabilitate and support injured, active and veteran soldiers,” said Harry.
“We have 25 nations, which are growing all the time. It really is an opportunity for people themselves and their families to heal and rehabilitate,” he added.
Before launching the tournament, Harry had a long career in the military. He joined the British Army in 2005 and went on to serve in Afghanistan. He retired in 2015, one year after launching the Invictus Games in London.
“I have seen firsthand how the power of sport can positively impact the lives of the wounded, injured and ill and women on their journey to recovery,” Harry said at the launch of the Games in 2014.