For the second year in a row, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of the DOD Warrior Games.
The Games, originally scheduled to occur at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla., from Sept. 12-22, would have marked the 11th anniversary of the annual competition of wounded, ill and injured service-member athletes in adaptive sports.
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, as the executive agent for the DOD Warrior Games, made the decision to cancel the 2021 games in consultation with senior Army leaders, medical professionals and key stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
“I want to thank all of the athletes, staff personnel and our partners for their hard work to prepare for this year’s DOD Warrior Games,” said Wormuth. “It’s unfortunate we are unable to hold the Games, but our first priority must be the health and welfare of everyone involved. The entire DOD understands the importance of the Warrior Games to the athletes and their families, as part of their recovery process, which makes this decision even more difficult. The Games are an important event for the DOD community. We look forward to resuming them next year if public health conditions permit.”
The Warrior Games is one part of the larger Warrior Care Programs, and “we will continue to support these wounded, ill and injured military members, and the tens of thousands of others they represent, throughout their recovery process. The entire DOD community looks forward to next year’s games,” said Wormuth.
The 2020 Games were scheduled for Sept. 20-28, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas.
The Defense Department Warrior Games is an annual event, first held in 2010, that celebrates the resiliency and dedication of wounded, ill, and injured active duty and veteran U.S. military service members.
Typically, hundreds of elite athletes, including those from international allied nations, compete in adaptive sporting events such as wheelchair basketball, cycling, indoor rowing, and wheelchair rugby, among others.
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