Clinging to a Tuscan hillside, with a view over some of the Italian region’s most celebrated vineyards, Sarteano is an unlikely spot for an international sporting event. But this weekend locals saw players from 12 countries straddle their broomsticks and battle to be named European Quidditch champions.
Less than 20 years since the sport was invented by author JK Rowling on the pages of the Harry Potter series, Quidditch now boasts an international governing body and teams in over 20 countries.
The complicated sport involves seven players on each side, five balls and a total of six hoops which serve as goals. Each match starts with the referee shouting, “Brooms up!” and comes to an end once a tennis ball “snitch”, attached to a player’s shorts, has been caught.
The UK has one of the strongest squads, which having won all of its games in Sarteano confidently awaited the semi-finals on Sunday afternoon. Jan Mikolajczak, one of four players from Oxford University, said the real-life game was surprisingly similar to the fictional version. “Other than the fact we’re not flying, it’s full contact and quite rough, just as it was in the books,” he said.
Competitors must abide by a 170-page rule book, with organisers making sure each team has the correct equipment. “Most of us play on broomsticks provided by the tournament. A couple have brought their own because they’re more comfortable,” Mikocajczak said.
Despite the strict rules, the game is informal and incredibly fun, according to Giulio Cioncoloni, a volunteer with organisers at the Cultural Association l’Ombrico. “It’s a beautiful sport because it’s one of strength. But at the end of the game, everyone hugs. It’s a great community. Quidditch is a sport for everyone,” he said.
Few residents of Sarteano had heard of Quidditch when it arrived in the Siena province this weekend, but the sport is becoming popular in Italy. While there are no official teams in Tuscany, nine exist across the rest of the country including two in Rome.
The Italians, however, have some way to go before they can be named regional champions, after the team proved no match for the Belgians. The competition winner is set to be decided in a Sunday evening final.
