IQA Incorporation Rejected

The Quidditch Post has learned through a document provided by an internal source that the International Quidditch Association has had its application to become a charitable incorporated organisation rejected by the Charity Commission, the regulator for such bodies in the United Kingdom.

Unprecedented Access to the IQA: An In-depth Look at the Organisation, the Troubles It’s Faced over the Last Few Years, and What It Needs to Do to Move Forward

By Andy Marmer and Chula Bruggeling

The following people were interviewed for this story:

Chris Daw (IQA Trustee),

Alicia Radford (former IQA Trustee),

Nicole Hammer (IQA Interim Executive Director),

Harrison Homel (former IQA Executive Director),

Sophie Bonifaz (former IQA HR Director),
Ashley Cooper (former IQA Congress Secretary),
Matthew Guenzel (IQA Quidditch World Cup 2016 Tournament Director, IQA Membership Manager, former IQA President of Congress),  
Bex Alley (European Committee Executive Manager, IQA Quidditch World Cup 2016  Logistics Coordinator),
John Ssentamu (Quidditch Uganda),
Laurens Grinwis Plaat Stultjes (Belgian Quidditch Federation President),
Jonas Zinn (Deutscher Quidditchbund Finance Director),

Alper Erisen (Quidditch Dernegi President),
Mary Kimball (US Quidditch Events Director),
Jill Staniec (Quidditch Canada Membership Director, Chair of the IQA Rules Committee),
Jerona van der Gevel (former Quidditch Nederland President [then Muggle Quidditch Nederland]),

George MacLeod,

Marina Montenegro

The following people did not respond to interview requests or refused to speak with us: Rachael Glynn (former IQA Finance Director), Brian Gallaway (IQA President of Congress)

The following people contributed to reporting: Chula Bruggeling, Aaron Carroll, Jack Lennard, Andy Marmer, Austin Wallace, Abby Whiteley

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Key Issues
1. Finance
1. Bank Account(s)
2. Membership Fees
3. Transparency
2. Governance
1. Incorporation
2. Board of Trustees
3. Uganda
4. Constitutional Issues
5. A Fractured Organisation
1. Volunteering
2. Communication
3. Ambitious Trustees
4. An Understaffed IQA
3. Is the IQA Irrelevant?
4. Looking Forward: How can the IQA save itself?
1. Regaining Trust
2. The Right People
3. A Clear Plan

World Cup From Their Perspective: Tournament Director Matthew Guenzel

My name is Matthew Guenzel, and I was the Tournament Director for this summer’s IQA Quidditch World Cup. This was my ninth tournament acting as director-level staff in some capacity, and by far the most challenging yet.

Beginner's Guide to the IQA

By Lindsay Garten 

With Quidditch World Cup 2016 behind us, the Quidditch Post brings you a beginner’s guide to the International Quidditch Association (IQA), the organization responsible for planning this international event. If you would like to know more about the history of this marquee event, check out our Beginner’s Guide to World Cup.

World Cup Ticketing Update

The IQA has announced on its website, in response to a Facebook posting this afternoon intended to organize travel to Frankfurt for UK-based spectators, that this summer’s World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany will be an event that is “almost certainly going to [have] limited tickets,” said Tournament Director Matthew Guenzel in a comment on a post in the “UK Quidditch” Facebook group.

IQA Announces Number of Teams Preregistered for World Cup

The IQA has announced that 24 teams from six continents have preregistered to attend this summer’s World Cup.

'We Read It So You Don't Have To': IQA Congress Meeting Minutes 26/09/15

The IQA has released the minutes from its latest congress meeting, and they contain some important developments. Most prominent in the minutes was the congress’ adoption of USQ Rulebook 9. We read the minutes so you don’t have to; although, to be honest, we read them and so should you. They’re very good minutes.

European Games 2015: Triumphs and Controversies

By Abby Whiteley

Introduction

On 25–26 July 2015, the inaugural European Games were held in Sarteano, Italy. Teams representing 12 European nations came together in the first tournament of its kind to play for the title of European champions. After a nail-biting final against the United Kingdom, France took the championship 80*-40, which followed its victory at the 2015 European Quidditch Cup (EQC) and established its position as the strongest quidditch nation in Europe. This tournament brought with it fantastic matches and exciting indications for the development of quidditch in Europe, as well as  a couple of controversies along the way. Here we will look at the performances of each national team and break down some of the conversations brought on by the tournament.

'We Read It So You Don't Have To': IQA Council Meeting Minutes 20/06/15

by Jack Lennard

Disclaimer: We really appreciate the hard work volunteers around the world put into the organisations they are a part of, and acknowledge that the sport would not be what it is without them. The tone of this article is largely tongue in cheek, and only partly meant to be read as a serious analysis. We hope you enjoy it, and please do volunteer to be a part of organisations that help this sport be so amazing.

Hello, and welcome to the very first in what we hope will be a long-running series of "We Read Them So You Don’t Have To." With more minutes, reports, and strategic plans being published than ever before, we believe that it is high time for people to stop digging through those lengthy documents for a glimmer of hope or controversy and allow us to do all the hard work for you.

IQA Names New President of the Congress

Last week the International Quidditch Association elected Brian Gallaway President of the IQA Congress. Gallaway, a Canadian delegate who does not have an official role with Quidditch Canada, succeeds outgoing President Matthew Guenzel, the Vice President of Quidditch UK who has stepped down due to time constraints.