Quidditch changes name to ‘distance themselves’ from JK Rowling
The sport, played by Harry and friends on broomsticks in the novels, is played by around 600 teams across 40 countries globally following its inception back in 2005
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Your support makes all the difference.Quidditch, the real-life sport inspired by the game in the Harry Potter books, is being renamed to “distance themselves” from author JK Rowling.
The sport, played by Harry and friends on broomsticks in the novels, is played by around 600 teams across 40 countries globally following its inception back in 2005.
It was announced last year that the sport planned to make the change to "distance themselves from the works of JK Rowling," according to a statement, "who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years."
Warner Bros' trademark of the word 'quidditch', that limited marketing opportunities for the sport, was also cited as another reason for the change.
A survey was sent out to players and fans to come up with a new name with quadball, derived from the number of balls in play and positions played, chosen.
Executive director of US Quadball, Mary Kimball, said in a statement: "In less than 20 years, our sport has grown from a few dozen college students in rural Vermont to a global phenomenon with thousands of players, semi-pro leagues and international championships.
"Our organisations are committed to continuing to push quadball forward."
Rowling’s outspoken views on the trans community have come in for heavy criticism in recent years from leading actors in the film franchise as well as a number of LGBTQ groups.
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