Team UK Proudly Depart for Invictus Games in Canada as Sports Stars and TV Personalities Wish Them Luck
By Jill Dando News
Team UK departed from Birmingham Airport for Canada to compete in the Invictus Games – with uplifting messages of support from sports and TV personalities cheering them on.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) and Ministry of Defence (MOD) are proud to be taking 62 competitors – all veterans and serving personnel who have experienced significant life challenges through military service – to Canada to represent the nation.
The team have been supported throughout their recovery journeys and months of training at the Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Centre, as they prepared for the Opening Ceremony of the Games on February 8.
Personalities from the worlds of television and sport sent the team heartfelt
good luck messages, including Match of the Day presenters Gabby Logan and Mark
Chapman, Actor and broadcasters Ross Kemp and Stephen Fry, This Morning host Ben Shephard, Olympic champions Ellie Simmonds, Katherine Grainger and Mark Foster, among many others.
They were joined by Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP, who said:
“I wish Team UK the very best of luck competing at the Invictus Games in Canada over the next two weeks. The Games powerfully show us the bravery of our forces and the way sport can support the recovery of sick and injured military personnel.
We’re proud of these fierce British competitors and the Government will always stand by those who serve our country, both during and after service.
I know the Armed Forces community will be cheering them on from around the world.”
Gabby Logan said:
“Good luck to Team UK at the Invictus Games. You will have an amazing
time, and I’m sure you’ll have loads of fun and personal success and triumph too.”
Ross Kemp said:
“I just want to wish everyone in Team UK the very best at the Invictus
Games and all the support staff who’ll be going along as well – go Team UK!”
Ben Shephard said:
“I know you’re going to go out there and do us proud. Just go smash it
and enjoy every single moment, you’re awesome.”
Team UK competitors told how they have overcome mental and physical challenges to compete in the Games – the first to feature winter sports - using adaptive equipment for skiing and snowboarding, wheelchair rugby and basketball, and sitting volleyball.
Team UK Captain Steve ‘Hoops’ Hooper, an RAF veteran diagnosed with PTSD from his experiences in Iraq before being medically discharged in 2021, said:
“The pride the whole team feels representing their country is huge, this means so much to them. There’s something very inspirational about the Invictus Games – being selected for Team UK, even just being part of a team again, for many it’s given them their lives back - a sense of purpose again. And that can literally transform lives, your confidence gets such a kick. We’ve been training for months and now the Games are here, and for the first time on snow - bring it on!”
Royal British Legion’s Team UK Manager Louise Assioun said:
“All our competitors have worked so hard to come this far on their personal recovery journey, it’s great to see them actually getting on that plane. They’ve been through a lot navigating some pretty complex issues and now they’re going to the Invictus Games to represent their country. What a moment for them in their lives. The Royal British Legion and the MOD have been right by their side supporting Team UK, so for us we’re so proud of them all. These messages will mean so much to the team.”
Being part of Team UK has given some of the competitors the confidence to tell their story for the first time, including Iraq and Afghan war veterans with severe brain injury and PTSD, personnel who have had suicidal thoughts, those who have lost children and comrades to suicide, and military medics traumatised by their frontline experiences.
The multi-generational team includes participants with a range of physical and mental injuries sustained while serving the UK Armed Forces either at home or abroad, including visual impairment, amputation and mental health conditions, and have been selected based on the benefit that training for, and competing at the Games, will contribute towards their recovery.
Team UK will join 500 other competitors from 23 nations in Vancouver Whistler who are all wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans, who are being supported by the Royal British Legion and the MOD.
ITV as the official UK broadcaster will show nine daily highlights shows so UK audiences can watch the Games across ITVX platforms.
The Invictus Games will return to the UK in 2027.
Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport said:
“We are delighted to be the departure airport of choice, for the second year, as Team UK fly out to compete in the Invictus Games. We look forward to welcoming them back when Birmingham is host city for 2027.”
