To use artificial substances or methods to enhance a racing pigeon's performance is called "DOPING".The use of performance enhancing drugs in racing pigeons has been a volatile topic and concern for the last several decades.
It is common knowledge that several countries have tried to address the problem and find a workable solution to save the sport from the bad publicity.Although there is little statistical evidence on the extent of doping, most fanciers believe that many competitors from around the world use illegal drugs to gain fame and fortune.
These drugs come in various forms.The most common are steroids, stimulants, hormones and gene therapy.A fancier can obtain extraordinary performances from very ordinary pigeons by raising the birds' endurance thresholds, slowing the moulting process, enhancing muscles and strength, aiding in the prevention of specific illnesses and increasing metabolic conditions.
Competition is fierce in the sport despite its declining popularity in some countries.The debate has become a very important topic in many countries.There have been calls for more complete testing of the birds, and many countries are trying to make it an integral part of the sport's competition.However, there are NO RELIABLE TESTS FOR PIGEONS AT THIS TIME!As man develops new performance enhancing drugs, he must also develop new tests to detect these drugs.The struggle to keep racing clean continues.It is a never ending battle.
Most of the energy and money spent in recent years has focused on increasing awareness of the problem.The clubs and organizations in each country try to police their own problems and correct them.However, this is not a local problem, but an "INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL PROBLEM", because of the widespread activities of "COMMERCIALISM", the selling of products and certain birds and their off-spring (bloodlines) around the world.
To develop International awareness, it takes time, money and resources.There are language barriers, along with the complicated task of identifying which drugs are legal or illegal in the pigeon sport.There are no uniform medication rules throughout the world.Therefore, what is legal in one country is illegal in another.
TRUE FACTS:
1. There are no reliable tests for pigeons at this time.
2. A fancier can feed his Pigeons several banned substances which leave no traces in their bodies on race day.
3. Drugs create an unfair advantage.There is doubt whether the winner won on his own ability, or was aided with drugs to achieve the great performance.Thus, drugs deprive fame and fortune from the honest birds and trainers that achieved their success through effort, preparation and their own abilities.
4. Abuse of drugs in the sport will cause the following side effects and health problems:premature sterility, lack of adequate feathering, immune system break down, sudden death, shortening of the life expectancy of the bird by several years, loss of effective breeding potential and damage to the liver and kidneys.
5. The use .of drugs to help create great race results to aid in the future sales of the bird and its children is common practice
6. Some drugs that are legal or illegal would be of little advantage in races that have 2 day shipping.Example:birds that are placed in the shipping crates on Thursday, to be released on Saturday, are fed and watered in the crates until release time.They should fly on their own ability, the drugs will have no effect.This is common practice in the USA FOR ALL BIG MONEY RACES AND MOST FUTURITIES: 2 DAY SHIPPING!Any birds found dead or sick in the crates draw direct attention to the flyer, especially if more than 1 bird of the same flyer is found.
7. From a buyer's standpoint, CHAMPION birds and their bloodlines are held in high demand.With the use of drugs, we know that the bird did not accomplish these records with his own ability.The buyer expects this champion to produce sound, healthy birds.His breeding potential and the expectations to produce strong racing stock for the buyer will never happen because of the performance enhancing drugs.The theory of breeding from record birds and their bloodlines is to identify the best racing pigeons, and hope they breed the best to increase the chances to achieve great racing performance for future years.However, we are not going to produce sound, healthy birds from breeders that achieved their records with drugs.We are only going to find disappointment and many drug related side effects.
8. Racing pigeons in most countries is no longer a hobby, but a big business and a form of serious gambling, where fortunes are won and lost through heavy betting, selling of pigeons and pigeon products that achieve great results.The temptation is great, the risks are low and the results are rewarding for these cheaters that hurt our sport.
9. Medicine, technology and science have significantly lengthened the life of humans, but they have had a reverse effect on our racing pigeons.Veterinary bills have escalated, the careers of our birds have been shortened and their breeding ability and potential are useless with the addition of performance enhancing drugs.While many fanciers publicly support the health, welfare and fitness of their racing pigeons during breeding, training and racing, and advocate the safe and humane handling of the birds under their care, they secretly use performance enhancing drugs to create fame and fortune for themselves at the expense of the birds and unsuspecting buyers.
10. "BUYER BEWARE" IS IMPORTANT ADVICE TO ALL.To spend thousands of dollars and countless hours on birds that have no potential to produce quality offspring, and that weaken your breeding program for years is foolish.Know your Seller.Understand his style of racing, and what is legal and illegal in the country in which he flies.Investigate how the bird achieved its race record and under what conditions.Make sure the fancier is honest, free from suspicion and does not use performance enhancing drugs to achieve his results.
Our sport requires a change in the attitudes toward the use of current medications and uniform medication rules throughout each country.This will assure fanciers that the best races are above reproach and will let trainers and owners know that their birds are being watched to ensure that the top birds fly on their own ability, not aided by illegal drugs.This will enable the races to be run fairly.UNTIL THIS HAPPENS, AND IT MAY NEVER HAPPEN, BUYERS OF BIRDS MUST PRACTICE THE RULE "BUYER BEWARE".
PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS
