The changes established by the Board of Directors of FNCPR last year (which you can read about here) divided the Romanian marathon runners into two camps: pros and cons. While some believe that limiting the number of marathon stages would only obstruct the performance of good pigeons, others believe that such a measure would give everyone an equal chance in the national championship and also help strengthen the province. Moldova. The porumbei360.ro team talked to several top pigeon lovers in Romania - Ioan Peşte, Elisei Eacobuță, Florin Petrache, Cristian Pughiuc, Gheorghe Preda, Vicențiu Scripcaru, Sorin Iftime, Victor Bădălău and Daniel Cobzaru - asked them what they thought about this subject and which side of the barricade it is on. What they answered us, read in the following lines.

Nota bene! Because most of the pigeon lovers interviewed stated that they do not agree with these changes and because we do not want to be accused of lack of impartiality, we are waiting (on the Facebook page - Porumbei360.ro or in the comments section of this article) and the opinions of other pigeon breeders no matter which side of the barricade they are on.

Prof. Mihai Vasiliu: "If we want performance, we must raise the bar, not limit the player

Hundreds of breeders from the country are on the side of the members of the Fălticeni Northern Marathon Club. One of them is Prof. Mihai Vasiliu, one of the most important pigeon lovers in the country, with an experience of over 60 years. "Currently, pigeon sport tends to become one of performance, not mass. It's like limiting a jumper in height, who jumps 2.10 m, but you force him to jump 1.90 m, so that others can jump as well. We have to raise the bar all the time if we want performance. Those who can fly Extreme Marathon two or three stages, let them fly as far as the biological limits of the pigeons, and let the others catch up, catch up with them and even surpass them. If we go back to table sports, then we lower the bar. This is an old disease, taken from the FCI, because those there, the leaders are not performance athletes in the true sense of the word; the vast majority are pigeon fanciers, employees and have only the interest of gathering as many pigeon fanciers as possible, because the contributions come from them. Another profession, not only in our country, but also in other fields, especially in politics. Have you not seen that when an ordinance is given, then another is given, which repeals it? So do the FNCPR with the sports regulations. In one year I make a regulation with some criteria, I say it will be valid for four years, and after a year I change it. They want to be champions on every street, because they see only the pecuniary part of the sport. They want to have as many members as possible, because their parallels come from them. I was part of the union leadership for about 40 years, I worked with all the presidents, but no one took a single salary from the union. Now, everyone is living on fantastic salaries. My message for them is to let the pigeon sport progress, and those who can't, to stand aside ", said Prof. Mihai Vasiliu.

Ioan Peşte: "if I can't have a Ferrari, shouldn't you have one too ?!"

"I agree with everything that Ionuț Tănase (n.r. the president of the North Marathon Fălticeni Club) wrote in the petition and in the open letter addressed to the president of FNCPR. There should be no limit to the Marathon, every province must have the freedom to fly as much as it wants. If he wants to fly 20 marathons, do it. The same goes for the other categories, if he wants to fly 100 Speed ​​stages, do it. Let everyone perform in the category they like. Have no limitations. If they can afford it, fly as far as they want. Now, if I can't own a Ferrari, you don't have to either, even though you're a millionaire ?! Depending on how each one is organized, the results also appear ”, pointed out the pigeon fancier Ioan Peşte.

Elisei Eacobuţă: "as 8, 9, 10 marathons are allowed to fly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, so give me the opportunity to fly at least as much"

"It's not ok, because the categories change every year and we lose the Palmares and we never end up with the pigeons outside, to show them their value. Limiting the Marathon stages is not ok either, because it obstructs the performance of good pigeons. What do I have to do with someone who can't do 3-4 steps? That's his problem. They, the management, thought of giving everyone equal opportunities in the national championship, to play all 3-4 stages, and to choose the best pigeon from them. But internationally, we no longer have performances, because a pigeon from the Netherlands flies 8-10 marathons a year and I come with a pigeon that flew three marathons, because I have so much possibility. But if you don't allow me to fly for the national championship, allow me for the Olympic one. And just as 8, 9, 10 marathons are allowed to fly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, so give me the opportunity to fly at least as many ”, says the pigeon fancier Elisa Eacobuta.

Gheorghe Preda: “I don't know why they force us to do what they want. Basically we pay them to do pigeon-loving according to their rules "

„Eu nu sunt de acord cum nu prea sunt de acord în general cu ceea ce decid ei. Nu am fost de acord nici cu Palmaresul de trei ani pe care l-au scos. Zic că fac regulamentul în funcție de ceea ce se întâmplă în vest, dar dacă ne uităm acolo, vedem că sunt câte 10-12 maratoane într-un sezon. Și pe noi ne obligă să zburăm trei din trei, fără nicio rezervă. Asta deși toate celelalte categorii au rezerve. Ei zic că un porumbel nu prea poate să zboare mai mult de trei sezoane, dar s-a dovedit în anii din urmă că au fost porumbei care au zburat și cinci maratoane într-un sezon, nu numai trei. Nu știu de ce ne obligă să facem ce vor ei. Practic noi îi plătim pe ei ca să facem columbofilia după regulile lor. Nu ne lasă liberi să zburăm ce vrem. Eu aș vrea să fie etape nelimitate la toate categoriile. Dacă pot să ducă 5 etape, să ducă”, spune columbofilul Gheorghe Preda.

Cristian Pughiuc: „așteptăm o stabilitate de mulți ani, dar nu mai vine”

"It does not seem fair. I am from Moldova, ie from Botosani, an area where a lot of emphasis is placed on this category. The marathon must prevail. I would like the number of stages to be unlimited, as it is abroad. If I could, I'd love to run marathons every week. I think it is the dream of any pigeon fancier passionate about this category. I don't like the changes, as I don't like my colleagues. We have been waiting for stability for many years, but it is not coming. It's like we're in constant motion. About 12 years ago, I proposed to my colleagues in the area of ​​Moldova to separate, to create a regional confederation, to play only what we are passionate about, even on some bets. Some beautiful things could be done. Those in the leadership of FNCPR are not nailed down, they are elected by the representatives of the associations and, if they mobilized, they could change them. But as there is no unity in our country, we reach situations like this ", says the pigeon fancier Cristian Pughiuc.

Florin Petrache: "it's a pigeon fallback"

"I support the Extreme Marathon category and the possibility for players to participate in a larger number of Marathon stages. It is unfair for those who achieved results in the Extreme Marathon in the previous year to take out this category in the conditions in which each of the competitors hopes to be in the Palmares as well. The example of Western countries, which have a tradition in this category, is to be appreciated, the large number of stages, 7 if I'm not mistaken, allows those who love these competitions to play all season, with different teams, both in the case of young pigeons in Marathons like Marseille, Agen, as well as in the case of the oldest in Barcelona, ​​Pau. I consider that the limitation of the number of stages, as well as the removal of certain rules (difficult to achieve from my point of view, such as the Extreme Marathon or the 3-year records) is a pigeon-loving regression ”, is the opinion of the pigeon breeder Florin Petrache.

Vicenţiu Scripcaru: "Often, decisions are made by individuals who have little to do with the Marathon"

"It simply came to our notice then. Limiting the stages no longer gives pigeon lovers the ability to fix something from the score, there is nothing you can do. As far as I know, the Speed, Fund and Half-fund categories still benefit from some advantages, they are not limited and, nevertheless, we are part of the same championship. And as long as the lower categories have certain advantages, the Marathon, being considered a higher category, should also have more chances. I do not agree with the changes, but I do not know how important our opinion is. Many times, the decisions are taken by some individuals who have little to do with the Marathon ", says the pigeon fancier Vicențiu Scripcaru.

Sorin Iftime: "No, it's not ok, because we will end up flying some cross-country and half-pigeon pigeons at the Marathon and this is not the policy of pigeon sport"

"I do not really agree. It's a bad thing, in our area this category is played and, as far as I can see, many people don't like the announced change. I say that the Extreme Marathon Palmares had to stay. It is not ok to limit the number of stages. This year I flew four stages Marathon and there are pigeons that ranked them all. I say that we should develop the Marathon category, not limit it, the more delicate part is that there are not many Marathon players on the steering committee and it seems pointless for some people who do not play in this category to decide the destinies of the Marathon. It is my point of view, of a pigeon fancier who only plays Marathon stages, I am not interested in other stages. It affects me a lot, especially since I brought many pigeons from abroad, which fly at 1000 km, and now I see that the number of km and the number of stages are limited. No, it's not ok, because we will end up flying at the Marathon some purebred Pigeons and Demifond pigeons and this is not the policy of pigeon sport ", says pigeon fancier Sorin Iftime.

Victor Bădălău: "the series of deliberate errors and the change of the RNS to their liking disgust me"

"I do not agree with these changes, as I do not agree with several articles of the new RNS. From my point of view, it stops the evolution of the Romanian pigeon fancier. There are breeders who love Speed, Demifond, Cross and, last but not least, Marathon flights. True marathoners, ie those who fly distances from 900 km upwards, found out overnight that their categories were either drastically reduced (760 km +), thus creating an incorrect advantage for General or Fund flyers, or the categories (Extreme Marathon, Extreme Marathon Palmares) have definitely disappeared from RNS. At the same time, the helplessness of our leaders, who in previous years were not even in the top 500 in these categories, took it to the extreme by limiting the marathon stages to a maximum of 3. The series of intentional errors and changing the RNS after good they like me, personally, they hate me. I am seriously thinking of giving up this beautiful sport from 2020, which some people have turned into something of a nightmare ", says the pigeon breeder Victor Bădălău.

Daniel Cobzaru: “I am not interested in a top place, but in the constancy of the pigeon. A middle ground must be sought. "

"I agree, everyone should play the same way. Why should someone else take advantage and I not? That all in stages game. Others play 900, 1000 and I want to play 1500? I had two stages over 1300 last year. Do I compare myself to the one who plays 900? I only had two stages out of 3. I am not on anyone's side, but I am also thinking about the good of my association. People say they have won top places. I was never interested in the top place, because in vain I take the 1st or 2nd place and the rest, the table, are outsiders. We need to make the province strong. One is that out of 25 pigeons sent to a competition to classify 20 and another is to classify only 5. I am not interested in a top place, but the constancy of the pigeon, I want to create a family of pigeons, not that I have took 1st place and someone heard of me. A middle way must be sought, the problems are solved, but calmly, not with scandal. Yes, I understand the others, everyone is unhappy, but as they have a stage of Madonna seminational, which I don't know who put it on, so we, the people from Bacău down, should have another semi-national stage, and then we can play Extrem and everyone is satisfied ", says the pigeon fancier Daniel Cobzaru.

Dr. Tudor Marian: "attempts are being made to destroy the Marathon category"

"I do not agree, it is absolutely correct for the world to be dissatisfied, because the trend is wrong: they are trying to destroy the Marathon category. At 800 km there is no marathon. He doesn't need to do I don't know how many Funds to go to the Marathon. The trained pigeon, which has experience, ie at the age of 3 years, can be launched from 300 km to over 900 km without any problem. But breeders and organizers make mistakes. Limiting the number of Marathon stages is not a problem. That's right, four. As the other categories have reservations, so should the Marathon, but it's not a misfortune. In principle, exceptional pigeons can make three out of three, even if they are very rare and there is a risk of losing valuable pigeons. It is very difficult to do in one season, in two weeks, three stages of over 900 km. They should be left at three weeks, ie 21 days, not 14 days. That would be ok ", explained Dr. Tudor Marian.