The Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine and the NATO Trust Fund for Medical Rehabilitation continue cooperation on the development of veteran sports
The Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine is actively working on the development of the sport of war veterans and prepares to take part in the Invictus Games 2023 Dusseldorf, Germany. Ukraine already has a successful experience of participation in the Warrior Games and the Invictus Games since 2017.
So, thanks to the comprehensive support of the NATO Trust Fund for Medical Rehabilitation, this year Ukrainian national delegations took part in the 2022 Invictus Games (April 2022, the Hague, the Netherlands) and the 2022 DOD Warrior Games (August 2022, Orlando, the USA).
For the first time the Ukrainian national team took part in the 2022 DOD Warrior Games.
The DOD Warrior Games are an international sports competition launched in 2010 as a way to restore and rehabilitate wounded veterans and servicemen of the US Armed Forces through adaptive sports.
The goal of the competition is to reveal the sports potential of the warriors after receiving severe injuries and wounds.
In 2021 a Ukrainian national team of 40 veterans and servicemen was formed to participate in the DOD Warrior Games.
The Ukrainian national team suffered irreparable losses because of the large-scale aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Team members Dmytro Oliynyk and Andriy Kotovenko died heroically. Team member, volunteer paramedic Yuliia Paevska ("Taira") had been captured by Russians for more than three months. Part of the national team received new injuries defending native land from invaders.
The participation of the Ukrainian national team in the 2022 DOD Warrior Games is a historic event for the Ukrainian veteran community and invaluable knowledge for the creation of a sports rehabilitation system for wounded veterans and servicemen in Ukraine.
During the 2022 DOD Warrior Games 2022 Ukraine was represented by a national delegation of 65 people. The national delegation consisted of athletes, their escort, coaches and the organizational team.
The Ukrainian national team showed excellent results and won 85 medals of various kinds in individual sports and 1 team silver in sitting volleyball.
Participation in the Invictus Games and the DOD Warrior Games is an important element in the sports rehabilitation system for veterans and servicemen who received wounds, injuries and illnesses defending the Motherland.
In addition, the opportunity to participate in the sports competitions with siblings, families and friends significantly enhances the rehabilitation effect.
The Invictus Games and the DOD Warrior Games are an opportunity for Ukrainian veterans and servicemen to share with NATO countries and other friendly countries representatives truthful information about war crimes committed by the Russian occupying forces.
Official delegations were formed to represent Ukraine at international events, which, within the framework of international cooperation, conveyed Ukraine's position in confronting the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Regarding the rehabilitation of veterans and servicemen, experience exchange with NATO Nations and partners was carried out on this topic, which will eventually help to develop a veteran policy in Ukraine.
