Harry Potter-inspired Quidditch sport changes name to 'quadball'

Slovakia and the Czech Republic competing in the second Quidditch World Cup in Florence, Italy in 2018. – Photo: Reuters

Quidditch, the sport inspired by the wizarding game in the Harry Potter books, will now be known as quadball, its governing bodies said, a name change meant in part to distance themselves from author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues.

In a statement on its website on Wednesday, the International Quidditch Association (IQA) said it was joining US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch – now rebranded as US Quadball (USQ) and Major League Quadball – in adopting the new name after all three bodies had previously announced their decision to make the change.