Prince Harry’s Invictus Games has been criticized for ditching rifles in favor of lasers
At Prince Harry’s Invictus Games is facing backlash for making a key change to one of its events.
The first Invictus Winter Games are scheduled to take place in Vancouver, Canada from February 8-16, and the biathlon event, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, ditches rifles instead of laser weapons.
The organization explained the inclusion their X pagestating, “Compared to live ammunition and laser rifles, optical rifles are in a class of their own. They are widely used due to their improved safety, reliability and wide availability from beginner to elite levels, including at the Paralympics and major international competitions.”
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Prince Harry’s first winter Invictus Games were criticized online for ditching rifles in favor of lasers in the biathlon event. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
They continued: “A wide range of disabled people – including visually impaired competitors – can use them. They offer a huge safety advantage across the range, given that most of our competitors are beginners. As a legacy of the Games, future users can experience biathlon without the safety risks and environmental impact associated with live ammunition.”
US Marine Corps Veteran Christopher Bryde, who served in Afghanistan and lost both legs below the knee after injuries from an IED, felt the change had affected the sport, however, saying FieldSports News, “We had a few problems with the cold and some of the [laser] weapons just don’t work. Also, the snow seemed to interfere with some of the objectives.”
Bryde continued, “For example, I shot five perfect rounds and then I only hit one target in one round. And then we checked the rifle and there was some snow… the laser thing [lens].”
Marine veteran Christopher Bryde said in an interview that the snow obstructed the laser rifle targets and lenses. (Jeff Vinnick/Invictus Games)
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In the statement for Daily Mail, The Invictus Games addressed Bryde’s claims of snow blocking targets and lenses, saying: “That would not be the case, as officials would be on site ensuring rifle readiness.”
Across the internet, many people have voiced their disapproval of the switch to a laser gun.
“So from 2014 to 2024 this wasn’t a problem, but now it is??” one person tested for X.
Online critics sided with Bryde’s complaint, calling the decision to use laser guns a “moronic woke idea.” (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation)
In the comments on FieldSports News’ interview with Bryde, people commented negatively, calling the change a “moronic woke idea” and “ridiculous liberal nonsense.”
The Invictus Games are not the first sporting event to ditch guns. The Paris 2024 Olympic pentathlon also used lasers instead of guns.
founded by Prince Harry Invictus Games 2014 multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick soldiers. The first Invictus Games were held in September 2014 in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation)
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Ahead of the inaugural Winter Games, Prince Harry was in Los Angeles, where he met with the firemen from the Salinas Fire Department and their rescue dogs.
In a post shared on social media, the fire department wrote: “Cruz and Taffy, pet dogs of the Salinas Fire Department, along with their friends, are actively helping the firefighting efforts in LA, providing much-needed support to firefighters and affected communities In an inspiring In a twist of events, they also had the opportunity to meet Prince Harry, who is known for his philanthropic work and advocacy on various social issues, including disaster relief.”
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They continued: “This encounter not only boosted their morale, but also emphasized the importance of unity and cooperation in the face of such devastating challenges.”
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