The world of sports is filled with emotions, rivalries, and astonishing feats, but there's a sport that transcends the boundaries of reality and immerses us in a magical world. We're referring to Quidditch, a sport that, although born in the pages of the famous Harry Potter book series, has taken on a life of its own and is about to unfold in all its splendor at Mediterranean Sport Village.
We spoke with Daniel Price, organizer of the Quadball Nations Cup tournament that will be held at Mediterranean Sport Village to tell us more about this sport.
Quidditch: A Magical Sport in Real Life
Quidditch, or Quadball as it's been renamed for copyright reasons, is a sport that began as a creation of J.K. Rowling's imagination in her successful Harry Potter book series. In the wizarding world, players flew on broomsticks, seeking to score goals while dodging Bludgers and chasing the Golden Snitch, a magical and elusive ball. What was once a fantasy has come to life in the Muggle community, also known as the non-magical community, thanks to the creativity and passion of fans of the saga.
"Originally was called Quidditch due to the adaptation of the sport from J.K. Rowling's novels. In the early days of the sport, the author requested that teams use the terminology from the novels, as long as no money was generated from it."
"In the United States, with the prevalent sponsor culture, it was decided to change the terminology and call it Quadball. Another reason was to distance themselves from the transphobic statements that J.K. Rowling made."
Rules and Adaptations in Muggle Quidditch
Although Quadball doesn't allow for broomstick flight or magic, players have devised ingenious ways to adapt the sport for real-life play. Teams consist of six players each, with three main positions: chasers, beaters, and seekers. Instead of flying, players run across the field with a broom between their legs.
The main goal of Quadball is to score points by throwing a ball, known as the Quaffle, through the opposing team's hoops. Meanwhile, beaters throw Bludgers (dodgeball-like balls) to hit opposing players and temporarily remove them from the game. The seeker seeks the Golden Snitch, which in Quadball is a ball with a neutral runner that traverses the entire field. Capturing the Snitch awards their team 30 points and ends the game.
"It's a blend of handball for its dynamism and rugby because it's a contact sport, along with the dynamics of dodgeball. It's a sport where the role which each player plays is well-defined, with positions like chasers, beaters, and the seeker."
The Quadball Nations Cup at Mediterranean Sport Village
Mediterranean Sport Village is honored to host the upcoming Quadball Nations Cup, an event that brings together teams from around the world who share a passion for this unique sport. Over several days of intense competition, teams will showcase their skills on the field, their ability to work as a team, and their determination to catch the Golden Snitch.
"This tournament was broned from the fact that many teams were unable to participate in the Quadball World Cup. So, we started organizing it as something small, and it has ended up becoming a tournament with 18 teams, some of which come from places as far away as Vietnam and Japan."
The International Quadball Tournament is much more than a mere sports competition; it's a celebration of creativity, camaraderie, and diversity. Fans can expect to enjoy the excitement on the field and experience the magic of this unique sport.
"Due to the interest, we decided to create a global team where each participant is of a different nationality."
Equality and Inclusivity
This sport is a pioneer in many ways, but it particularly stands out in two aspects: equality and inclusivity.
Quadball is one of the few sports with a player alignment rule that requires teams to field players of both male and female genders. It is not allowed to compete with an all-male or all-female team.
The sport is very sensitive to the LGBTQIA+ community, which also constitutes a significant part of the Quadball community. This is why the alignment rule mandates that teams have at least one player from each of the three genders - male, female, and non-binary - on the field.
"The alignment rule stipulates that a maximum of three players of the same gender can be on the field, in a team of six. We believe that having mixed-gender teams is fantastic because the roles and positions on each team encourage people of all kinds to play, not just in terms of gender but also in terms of physical readiness. It's a sport that promotes inclusivity in general. No matter your level of athleticism, there will always be a position you can play."
A magic experience
The upcoming International Quadball Tournament at Mediterranean Sport Village promises to be an event filled with excitement and a tribute to the power of imagination and fan passion. So, get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Quadball and enjoy a sport that brings people from all corners of the globe together in a truly magical experience.
See you on the playing field, where magic becomes a reality!
