Defeating Germany, Belgium has conjured up a win in the 2025 quidditch world cup. The sport, officially known as "quadball" since 2022, is inspired by the game played by Harry Potter and his fellow students in the famous books by author J.K. Rowling.
For Belgian player Seppe De Wit and his teammates, it has been a journey of 12 years to win the 2025 quadball world championship. They have become the first European nation to hold the title.
Originally inspired by J.K. Rowling's fictional game "quidditch" from the Harry Potter series, quadball has evolved into a ground-based sport where players in mixed gender-teams run with broom-like sticks, aiming to score by shooting balls through hoops.
While the sport retains its magical roots, many athletes have consciously distanced themselves from Rowling's controversial views on transgender rights, even though the author denies being transphobic. Instead, it's important to them to build a community rooted in acceptance and inclusion.