Liverpool fancier 66 year old Terry Kirman has been suspended by Liverpool Amal after droppings samples were tested positive for Caffeine.
Read my full article here
http://ukracingpigeonsforsale.yolasite.com/pigeon-related-articles--news.phpBanned Substances In Pigeon Racing In The UK.
Do We Have A right To Know?
An article by Gary Burgess
Once again an air controversy is surrounding the pigeon fancy here in the UK.
The topic of the day or should I say the past few weeks, has been the news that an extremely well known pigeon fancier from Huyton, Liverpool, has been suspended for three years by the Liverpool Amal, for dope test on his pigeons, which tested positive for Caffeine.
Although the amount of caffeine that was detected was an extremely low amount of 400/1,000,000,000 so in a percentage figure it is 0.000039999999999999996%
Think this is confusing, well I invite you to peruse the RPRA Rule book as the RPRA puts it. This is what it states on the application to become a member of the Association.
Not! that you have read the rules and fully understood them, maybe if they wrote that they may fear that nobody would join the RPRA.
Peruse the rules I have.
Understood them I have not.
Maybe it would take someone of a higher intelligence, to actually understand their rules.
PART P: PERFORMANCE ENHANCING
199. The Council of the R.P.R.A. shall make
rules and regulations prohibiting the use of
performance enhancing drugs/substances.
Contravention of these rules and
regulations shall entail suspension, for a
minimum period of three years; or
expulsion.
See Appendix G
Now that sounds clear enough doesn’t it. So now lets peruse the rulebook book some more to find appendix G.
APPENDIX ‘G’
(SEE RULE 199)
PERFORMANCE ENHANCING
DRUGS/SUBSTANCES
1. These Rules are drawn up by the
Council of the Royal Pigeon Racing
Association under the powers granted by
virtue of Rule 199.
2. The use in pigeons of the following are
strictly forbidden:
ANABOLIC STEROIDS, BETAAGONISTS,
CORTICO STEROIDS,
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY NON-STEROIDS,
OPIATES, ANALGESICS,
PERFORMANCE ENHANCING
STIMULANTS, SYNTHETIC
HORMONES, ANY DRUG FOUND TO
BE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING PLUS
ANY SUBSTANCE WHICH MAY BE
USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO MASK THE
ABOVE
Now you have perused the rules, we have now examined these rules thoroughly, with care, this is what Peruse means.
Do you now understand what a banned substance is in pigeon racing here in the UK.
Of course you don’t, not unless you have a degree in Pharmaceutical Medicine.
So now, still confused we seek help from the general Manager of the RPRA Mr Stewart Wardrop. We ask him to explain to us, to offer us some clarification as to what is a banned substance and do they know that they are openly selling banned substances in the British Homing World, which I might add is the official journal of the RPRA.
Thank you for your email requesting clarification regarding products sold in the BHW.
The simple answer is NO - we cannot assure you that products advertised in the BHW are free of forbidden substances - indeed the BHW makes it very clear ( in writing in
every issue ) that it cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements in any copy published.
As a publication it has no facility to " licence or police " the multitude of medications that are available for purchase in the magazine ( or via other means ) - any more than
it can " police " where individual members source their products or what they give their birds.
That numerous medications are advertised for sale in the fancy press and on line - DOES NOT absolve the Fancier from their responsibility.
As in all sport it is the individuals responsibility to know what is being administered and to understand the potential effects.
At present I can only repeat the following advise with regard to medications purchased through any publication or on line - BUYER BEWARE !
Basically if you are unsure what any medication may do or what it contains then don't use it !
Until the supplier confirms in writing what it contains and whether it complies with RPRA Rules ( see section 2 of appendix G ( copied below) as it clearly put the onus
onto fanciers to this ! ) Appendix G of the RPRA rules is very clear !
Regards. Stewart.
The use in pigeons of the following are strictly forbidden : ANABOLIC STEROIDS, BETAAGONISTS, CORTICO STEROIDS, ANTI - INFLAMITORY NON - STEROIDS, OPIATES,
ANALGESICS, PERFORMANCE ENHANCING STIMULANTS, SYNTHETIC HORMONES, ANY DRUG FOUND TO BE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING PLUS ANY SUBSTANCE WHICH MAY BE
USED I AN ATTEMPT TO MASK THE ABOVE.
When products of which the composition is not specified are administered , we advise fanciers ask attestation from their pharmacist or vet stating that the product does not contain forbidden substances.
Considering that this is our ruling body and so called protector of the sport of pigeon racing, I think it’s an appalling response.
Obviously if the rules are quite as clear as they like to think they are, then there would be no confusion and we would all know what is deemed a banned substance.
To me, the normal run of the mill fancier, I would probably have a clue to one or two substances mentioned here in the RPRA rules.
ANABOLIC STEROIDS, what body builders use, hooray I got one.
BETAAGONISTS, I have never ever heard of it and clearly do not have a clue.
CORTICO STEROIDS, a steroid maybe cortisone I know this because I had an injection of one in my arm for an injury.
ANTI - INFLAMITORY NON – STEROIDS, maybe a painkiller Like Ibuprofen.
OPIATES this could cover a whole range of things, certainly not something I would ever dream of giving to my birds.
ANALGESICS, Maybe a painkiller like distalgesics.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCING STIMULANTS, this is where to me, there is so much confusion. Is a stimulant, a drug, or an additive. Is it Glucose, Dextrose, Sucrose, Creatine, Carnitine etc. Without some sort of clear guide we are totally in the dark.
SYNTHETIC HORMONES, I never had a clue that such things existed.
ANY DRUG FOUND TO BE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING PLUS ANY SUBSTANCE WHICH MAY BE USED I AN ATTEMPT TO MASK THE ABOVE
Confused, confused, confused.
I consider myself to be quite reasonably educated, but I can be quite honestly, hand on heart, I am non the wiser. I dare say that there will be hundreds if not thousands of other fanciers out there who will be in the same boat as I, totally clueless.
So you see RPRA, it is far from simple and we just do not know what these substances are or what we should be aware of.
This week I have been to more than one stockist of certain products and as Mr Wardrop said ask do these products contain any banned products, one replied I haven’t got a clue. The other said they should be ok they sell um in the British Homing World.
Mr Wardrop and the RPRA, please rectify the huge problem before many other, honest, decent fanciers fall foul to these products.
Now let me take you back to Tuesday 18th September 2012, to Huyton,, in Liverpool, Merseyside.
A 66 year old Fancier who was born and bred in the area, who has kept pigeons for 50 years and has successfully raced pigeons competitively for 40 years, was given the bad the news that he has been suspended by the Liverpool Amal for a period of three years after droppings that had been taken from his loft some four months previous, had been sent to laboratory in South Africa for testing and came back positive for traces of Caffeine.
That fancier was 66 year old Terry Kirman, from Huyton, Liverpool.
A man, who has passionately dedicated his life to breeding and racing his pigeons.
Over the last 40 years Terry has topped the mighty Liverpool Amal no less than 25 times.
That is some record, Terry flies in the Roby FC, which is affiliated to the Liverpool Amal.
Terry’s son Tony Kirman, tells me that his Father Terry is absolutely devastated at the decision and cannot believe that this has happened to him.
He said pigeons are my Dads life they are his reason to get up in a morning.
All his working life as a pub Licensee, he has always made time to tend to his birds and has always managed for many years to keep them racing competitively.
Terry has been racing pigeons at the highest level for many years, many of his friends just cannot believe that this happened to him.
Over the years, Terry has helped countless new fanciers to the sport by breeding them pigeons free of charge or on occasions even loaning them his priceless stock pigeons.
One fancier told me that Terry has given more birds to charity sales than any other fancier he knows.
One thing that has been echoed throughout the fancy, is that Terry is an extremely well admired fancier who well respected by his fellow fanciers far and wide.
It has become apparent that many fanciers believe that Terry is innocent of the allegations made by the Liverpool Amal and that Terry would not need to drug his pigeons to make them win.
This is not the first time that Terry has been on the receiving end of allegations as his birds droppings were tested five races previous and came back all clear.
Terry has made no secret of the products he has been using and the only product he can seriously think of that contained anything like caffeine was from a well respected company of pigeon products here in the UK Versele Laga, These were a product called Supra Pills. Terry has said he has been using these throughout the season and was in fact using them the last time his pigeons droppings were analysed and they came back clear.
The news of Terry’s suspension has sent shock waves throughout the fancy, this has now been the topic of conversation for many weeks. Fanciers from all over the country have been sending Terry messages of support, telling him to appeal the Liverpools Amal’s decision. Terry who is now retired and is a pensioner has been left with a huge bill for the testing of his birds droppings which is somewhere in the region of £750.
A review of Terry’s case has been set for the 4th January 2013 and will then go to a delegates and an RPRA drug council meeting sometime in Feb/March 2013.
Many fanciers have conveyed messages to him to seek legal representation and to take this to the highest level, many fanciers have now suggested setting up a fighting fund to raise money for Terry’s legal fees by taking his case to court to clear his good name.
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The N.E.H.U race from Melton Mowbray 21/4/2012 was won by Peel bros of South Shields, they took 1st club 1st fed, also taking 2nd and 4th club and 15 of the 25 birds clocked in the club......well done Peel brothers.
