Men of the blue skies, warriors of the early liberation, and visionaries of the breeding loft! Grab a strong cup of coffee and sit up straight. We are living in March 2026, and although nature tries to throw us a curveball every now and then, we are standing stronger as a collective than ever before. Forget that dusty image of the past. Forget the times we were dismissed as a side-show. The past 48 hours were an absolute masterclass in how to run a global top sport under high pressure.
The Strategists in The Hague: Pigeons are High-Performance Athletes
Let’s be honest: for years, the policymakers in The Hague treated us as if we were keeping a few chickens in a backyard. But those days are officially over. The recent breakthrough at the Ministry of LVVN is no fluke or a stroke of luck. It is the result of rock-solid, professional lobbying by the NPO and a level of expertise that many other sports federations could learn from.
While bird flu unfortunately reared its head again in Putten, our men in the political arena did not sit still. Led by Ben Geerink, we showed the authorities that a racing pigeon is not a “risk bird.” Our Pigeons are highly trained athletes with a medical passport that would make the average human marathon runner jealous. Our protocols are watertight and our transport is state of the art. The fact that The Hague finally realizes that a generic gathering ban is total nonsense for our sport is the greatest diplomatic victory of this decade. We are claiming our seat at the table not as a petitioner, but as the professional top-tier sports sector we are.
Radio 1: Marc Bernds and Ben Geerink as Rockstars of the Sky
Did you listen to the NOS Radio 1 Journaal yesterday? When you hear Marc Bernds and Ben Geerink speak, you feel your chest swell with pure pride. This wasn’t some defensive talk about restrictions or a dusty story about how things used to be. No, this was pure, unadulterated sports promotion on primetime. They took the entire nation along into the dynamics and the passion of our world.
The best part of that broadcast? The sheer bravado. While the outside world might only look at bird flu and regulations, they showed the indestructible resilience of the modern fancier. We don’t let a setback get us down. We shift gears faster than a pigeon with a tailwind. The way the pigeon sport was presented there as modern cultural heritage and a professional discipline was worth its weight in gold for our image. We are no longer the men with caps in a shed. We are the managers of a flying million-dollar industry and the whole world should know it.
Eyes Forward: Charging Towards the Horizon
Of course, I can already hear the skeptics muttering in the clubhouses. But listen closely: top sport is about anticipating circumstances. When a Formula 1 car gets a flat tire, does the team stop racing? No, they hit the pits and come out harder and faster. That is exactly what we are doing as a sport right now.
I sometimes laugh when I see how the mainstream media tries to catch us in clichés. Then I stand there in my loft, looking at those shining athletes ready for the 2026 breeding season, and I know: they have no idea what kind of top sport this really is. The emotion of an early bird, the deep science behind the genetics, and the kicks of an international victory. You only understand that when the blood of a winner flows through your veins.
We are on the eve of a season that will go down in the history books. The foundations have been laid in The Hague and the hearts of the public have been won over via national radio. Let’s open the lofts with that same passion and pride. We are modern, we are professional, and we are simply the owners of the most beautiful sport on earth. Bird flu is a temporary obstacle, but our ambition reaches far beyond the horizon.
Keep your eyes on the sky and your motivation sharp. We are going to crush it!
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
