Trying to divert attention away from himself and towards the athletes, sick and injured military personnel, he said: “I’ve spoken a lot and at length about myself in the past to encourage others to speak about their experiences. They should have been given the main part of this film, not me.”
Meanwhile, Pistorius addressed criticism that the Games glorified war, saying: “On the contrary – it shows the horrors of war. Soldiers are role models who show how you can fight your way back into life with sport.
“It’s about being able to look not at what you can’t do any more, but at what you can do now or could do in the future.”
The Invictus Games kicked off on the weekend with a rousing opening ceremony at the Merkur Arena, where 500 participants from 21 countries were introduced.
The Duke told them his wife, Meghan, would be cheering on Nigeria, having recently discovered that she was of Nigerian descent. Last October, she revealed on her Archetypes podcast that she was “43 per cent Nigerian”.
After giving a special welcome to Colombia, Israel and Nigeria, the three nations new to the competition this year, Prince Harry said: “Now, I’m not saying we play favourites in our home, but since my wife discovered that she’s of Nigerian descent it’s likely to get a little bit competitive this year.”
Loading
On Sunday, the Duke watched France take on the UK in a wheelchair rugby match, fist-bumping spectators and playfully tugging a Canadian fan’s beard. He chatted to a handful of Britons during the brief appearance inside the stadium, giving the players a thumbs up.
The Telegraph, London