New Delhi: Quidditch game, inspired by the game played in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, has been renamed as ‘Quadball’. The change in name is done to distance that game from author JK Rowling. The change was led by US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch, and the International Quidditch Association will also adopt the new name.
US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch said that the name ‘quidditch’ is trademarked by American film company Warner Bros., which produced the Harry Potter movies. Also, the leagues want to distance themselves from Rowling as she has come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions. Major League Quidditch has also changed its name to Major League Quadball. The league added that the change of name “opens unprecedented opportunities for growth, exposure and partnerships”. According to them, the move is a game changer for them.
Mary Kimball, executive director of US Quadball (US Quidditch earlier), said that in less than 20 years, the sport has grown from a few dozen college students playing it in rural Vermont to become a global thing with semi-professional leagues and international championships.
The game is played with the brooms held between the thighs. Rather than adding an ability to fly, it just adds to the handicap for the player. The game was also called ‘muggle quidditch’, which means ‘quidditch without magical powers’.
Author JK Rowling has been criticised in recent years for being transphobic. Her tweet in June 2020 got highlighted for being transphobic and condescending. In her tweet, she made a comment on transition and surgery, and faced a backlash from transgender activists.
