The practice of sports allows everyone, depending on their injury, to find themselves once again and rediscover their physical potential. It also encourages social relationships, helps fighting combat stress and isolation, and promotes surpassing oneself and solidarity. The armed forces understood this very early.

A long-time ally

In 1958, the National Institution of Invalides asked the National Institute of Sports, the future National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance (INSEP), to second a physical and sports education trainer to conduct "sports-based rehabilitative exercises" for the benefit of the Institution's wounded. These activities contribute to the rehabilitation and reintegration of disabled people and primarily injured soldiers. This is how the Sports Circle of the Institution (CSINI) was created in 1966. The National Institute of Invalids allows disabled people to practice different sports for leisure or competition. Under the supervision of the Armed Forces Ministry , it has received the Youth and Sports label and is affiliated with the French Disabled Sports Federation, the Federation of the Defense Clubs and the French Shooting Federation. Initially created for wounded soldiers, the Circle opened in 1968 to the physically handicapped of all origins.

It is today one of the largest sports associations for the disabled in France, both in terms of the number of its members and the quality of the results obtained. It supports high-level disabled athletes who might participate in the 2024 Paralympic Games.

A comprehensive, adapted and evolving offer

These last years, the rehabilitation and reintegration of wounded soldiers through sports has become a strong focus of the new sports policy and the new support plan for wounded soldiers and their families.

In 2014, the Armed Forces Ministry signed a framework agreement on sport for all and high-level sport, with the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas Territories, the Ministry of Sports and the Minister responsible for disabled people, containing a protocol for the benefit of injured soldiers. This quadripartite agreement, renewed in 2019, makes it possible to pool and develop the experiences of the different ministries in terms of supporting the injured.

The ministry has implemented a policy of reconstruction through sports in conjunction with the Wounded Warrior Support Cells, the Defence Medical Services, the National Office for Veterans and War Victims and the charities have enabled the National Defence Sports Center (CNSD) to set up a complete, adapted and scalable sports offer (discovery, leisure, competitions), whatever the disability. This progressive course is made up of three stages. The three phases gradually progress from rehabilitation in a Defence Training Hospital through a rediscovery of one's physical and sporting abilities andpossibly even moving towards competition. Each injured person can contact their referring military physician or the Wounded Warrior Support Cell in order to benefit from the sports offer adapted to their situation. In 2015, the National Defences Sport Center also created, in conjunction with the French disabled sports federation, a specialization certificate "supervision and sports training of defense casualties" for specialists in military and sports physical training , giving them the opportunity to develop their skills in supervising and training the wounded.

Military ‘injury and sports’ meetings, an essential step in the life path of the wounded

Organized since 2012, the Military ‘Injury and Sports’ Meetings mark the entry point into the rehabilitation through sports path. These days help wounded soldiers to resume a physical activity depending on their pathology by bringing together all the ministerial medical and social stakeholders who support them on a daily basis. Trainees can constitute a pool of soldiers able to participate in various national and international sporting events.

Equestrian sports, special support for the wounded

Adapted horse riding is an equestrian activity for a “specific audience” where the objective is not the learning of equestrian techniques, but the self-fulfilment of people suffering physically and/or psychologically. It is about establishing a space, but also situations during which the trainees will have the opportunity to live both physical and emotional experiences with the horse, or even through learning the fundamentals of horse riding. Self-discipline, dynamism, self-esteem and self-confidence are qualities particularly activated in adapted riding.

Regular sports meetings, a resilience tool for the wounded

Lessons learned by the injured show the need to organize regular sporting events, moments of brotherhood-in-arms through sports. To do this, the National Defence Sports Center implemented the Ad Victoriam challenge, “Towards Victory”, which brings together wounded military personnel and Defense civilians on a circuit of nine steps of multi-sport activities throughout the year across the territory. Some of these steps are backed by French military championships, sometimes coupled with competitions of the Federation of Defense Clubs, and allow the wounded to be associated with their brothers-in-arms from the units. Injured soldiers can also take part in the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport competition designed for injured or disabled military and civilian Defense personnel, created in 2014 at the initiative of Prince Harry. The integration of wounded athletes in the Summer Military World Games was carried out for the first time during of those in 2015 in South Korea and continued in 2019 in China. Furthermore, the development of mixed sporting events associating able-bodied and wounded soldiers reinforces the sharing of military values and the brotherhood-in-arms between wounded and able-bodied, both French and foreigners.

An offer with families

For many years, the Armed Forces Ministry has involved the families of injured soldiers in the rehabilitation through sport system, in particular through the organization of multi-activity courses. In 2025, families will be able to be more included in these courses. The village of the injured, currently being built within the National Defence Sports Center, will accommodate the injured and their families in response to the need for support for the loved ones. This interdepartmental project, supported by associations of the fighting world and mutual benefit insurance companies, concretizes a strong commitment of the armed forces and the Gendarmerie Nationale in favor of the wounded and their families.