But while Harry Potter and his classmates soared through the air on flying broomsticks, real-life players remain firmly on the ground, "riding" three-foot lengths of PVC pipe. But for many players around the world, including those in Canada, quidditch won't be "quidditch" for much longer. Michael Howard, head coach of Canada's national quidditch team, said 'anger and disdain' about J.K. Rowling's controversial statements have long been present in the quidditch community. They were curious to see how the magical game described in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books would play out in real life. Howard says that although "most people think of it as live-action role playing, [quidditch is] a real sport that requires athleticism."

Source: CBC News August 13, 2022 22:01 UTC