Even as soccer giants battle it out for the top spot in the Football World Cup in Russia, Italy is currently playing host to the much talked about Quidditch World Cup that takes its inspiration from the JK Rowling helmed Harry Potter series.
With a broom that these players ride on the ground though, there is an air of magic, wizardry and offcourse that typical golden snitch that all are aiming to clasp in their hand. The twist in the game here however is that this quidditch is being played in the muggle world and not Hogwarts.
The World Cup opened with Australia beating Italy in a demonstration match.
Like the rules in the book or the films, two opposite teams vie for the highest score also catching the golden snitch and beating the opponent.
The players play by holding a broom in between their legs.
Each team is comprised of seven players with different roles to take care of.
Three chasers try getting hold of the quaffle. Three on each team of varying heights try scoring 10 points, while keepers attempt to block attempts. Much like the original, players can use a bludger or a dodgeball to stop their opponent to stop scoring.
Hit by a bludger, the player has to dismount their broom and drop any ball in their possession.
The final role is of the seeker who tries to catch the “golden snitch.” that is attached to the waistband of a “snitch runner,” who tries to avoid capture as long as possible. The game ends when a seeker catches the snitch. A snitch is just worth 30 points in the muggle version unlike 150 points at Hogwarts.
On average each game lasts about half an hour.
The teams will compete over the June 30-July 1 weekend but Florence has planned a ceremonial welcoming parade with athletes through the and multiple workshops plus events, through July 2, for the biennial gathering of hundreds of players and fans of this unusual sport.
Most national players start their Quidditch careers at university, where the sport has flourished and the rivalry between university teams in local and national competitions is fierce.
Organizers who are making the Quidditch World Cup happen for the fourth time tell news outlets that this is a game of diversity. Most players part of the championship are longstanding Harry Potter fans.
Held in Florence, Italy by the International Quidditch Association it occurs every two years. Historically speaking U.S. won the inaugural competition in 2012 in U.K. and in 2014 in Canada, but lost to Australia in Germany in 2016.
Years after the JK Rowling written Harry Potter series came out, Quidditch picked up as a sport since 2005.
Those in the know of the game claim that it was actually invented at Middlebury College in Vermont in 2005.
With 29 national teams participating this year the sport has already got worldwide popularity. Eight are making their debut for the first time.
Interestingly thousands of passionate amateur national players from US makeup a large part of the Quidditch circuit. Most players are in their mid-20s.
So stay tuned as Muggles give it their best shot to relive the magical wizarding world on Italian soil.
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