We are experiencing an intense and demanding racing season across Europe, and the extreme weather conditions have laid bare the structural weaknesses in our transport systems. While the current KBDB leadership inherited many of these logistical challenges from previous administrations, the lack of clear transparency remains a critical problem for everyone in the pigeon fancy.
Every fancier who puts time, money, and passion into their loft deserves unvarnished facts. We need video updates, verified reports, and total openness regarding the journey, the drinking water management in the crates, the arrival conditions, and the weather assessments at the release points.
When videos surface showing chaotic releases or exhausted birds before liberation, serious questions must be asked.
This responsibility ultimately rests with the national leadership of the KBDB. These situations cannot happen. Convoyers and drivers on site must possess sharp judgment, modern technical training, and the authority to delay or intervene whenever the welfare of the birds is at stake. The racing pigeon community is not looking to complain every week. Fanciers want solutions, modern standards, and professional management that elevate our magnificent sport.
True Animal Welfare Starts in the Crates, Not on Paper
The regulation enforced by the KBDB restricting pigeons to racing nationally only once every fourteen days demands an immediate, data-driven evaluation.
When racing pigeons are given elite care, quality nutrition, and safe, well-ventilated transport, competing weekly is not an automatic disadvantage. In fact, consistent weekly rhythm keeps top athletes in peak biological shape. For decades, leading lofts across Belgium and Europe have proven that healthy pigeons thrive on a steady routine when recovery is managed correctly.
Labeling blanket racing bans as animal welfare misses the true target. Welfare is not created simply by keeping a healthy bird in the loft for an extra weekend.
Real pigeon welfare requires:
Trucks fitted with active ventilation and temperature regulation during all stops
Constant access to clean drinking troughs inside every basket
Sensible loading densities per crate to avoid overcrowding
Skilled convoyers capable of reading rapid weather developments
Bringing every bird to the liberation line fresh and fully hydrated
Look at grand cycling tours like the Tour de France or the Giro d’Italia. Human athletes perform day after day because nutrition, monitoring, and recovery conditions are managed at an elite level. While pigeons are avian athletes, the core athletic principle remains identical. When restrictive administrative rules cause national entry numbers to decline, the sport suffers. We must ensure that well-intended policies do not end up hurting the very foundation of Belgian pigeon racing.
Strategic Winter Priorities for the KBDB
The coming winter offers a decisive window for KBDB officials to listen, act, and set a new standard. The agenda must focus on concrete improvements:
Complete transparency with direct video coverage of loading, transit, and liberations
Equal, high-standard transport logistics for every club and every participant
Upgraded climate control systems across the entire national transport fleet
A thorough review of restrictive calendar rules, including the 14-day mandate
Actionable, field-tested animal welfare measures instead of bureaucratic paperwork
Building a Resilient Future for the Pigeon Sport
Pigeon racing is an extraordinary tradition filled with passion, dedication, and world-class athletic talent. To protect its legacy and drive growth, the logistical framework must match the caliber of the birds we fly.
Our call to the KBDB is straightforward: embrace transparency, listen to the observations from the lofts, and modernize the transport infrastructure from the ground up. Every fancier deserves fair conditions, and every pigeon deserves world-class care on the road.
Kris Cleirbaut
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