In conversation with FCI President David Barros Madeira

1. Mr. Madeira, first of all, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Many fanciers know you, but could you please introduce yourself again?

David Barros Madeira, Portuguese, 60 years old, ophthalmic surgeon, married, two sons, residing in Loulé, Algarve, Portugal.

The pigeon sport was always one of  my core passions. I am a second generation pigeon fancier. My father, João Barros Madeira, was one of the historic figures of the pigeon sport in Portugal. My whole childhood was around pigeons, lofts, pigeon clocks and racing. With his busy life as a physician, my father welcomed my help with the pigeons early on. Still in my primary school years  I was put in charge of a small loft where were housed the injured pigeons and those old pigeons that my father considered that deserved to die of old age in peaceful retirement. One day a female with a broken wing coupled with an old glory that was already supposed to be infertile, an egg hatched... and that moment sparked what my father called the “pigeon virus” in me. At 16 I was already 2nd General Champion of the SCL  club (a 50+members club at that time) second only to my father, and my “133” represented Portugal at the Prague Olympiad.

My father believed that mastering several languages was essential to being an educated person, so I was stimulated to learn languages from a young age. French became particularly important--it allowed me to read all related to pigeons, from the newspaper “La Colombophilie Belge” to the magazine “Pigeon Rit”, that my father religiously received year upon year, plus all the home library books in French, from Henry Landercy, Léon Petit, Jules Gallez, and others, the English authors came into the picture later. At 14 I started being sent by my father to Belgium, to improve my spoken French and for pigeons, one month or two per year, staying most of the time at the house of his friend Fernand Colson and the Colson family became  my second family, until today. A very important figure in Belgium for me was also Roger Vereecke from Deerlijk. Most of our best long distance pigeons from 1976 onwards were or had Vereecke blood. My father built a lifelong friendship with Roger Vereecke and we visited him regularly until his death. I particularly remember an afternoon being left alone with Jerôme Vereecke , the father of Roger  almost or already 90 years old at the time, and he inviting me to see his 5 Barcelona pigeons housed in a small loft in the house of the sister of Roger. 

During my stays in Belgium I was going to see pigeons every day. I visited countless legendary lofts. I met and learned  not only from the French speaking like Henri van Neste, Marc Roosens, Victor Fabry, Raymond Cobut, Paul Gilmont, Pol Tossens and so many others but also from the Flemish icons like Andre Vanbruaene, Gerard and Michel Vanhee, Andre Brouckaert, Roger Florizoone, Norbert Norman, Josef Vandenbroucke, Etienne Devos... All the long distance historic lofts. Handling Belgium’s finest long distance pigeons was a magic experience.

Since the end of the Eighties and following the tendency of the sport we started focusing more on middle distance racing. We successfully crossed our established line with pigeons from Vanhove-Uytterhoeven, Gaby Vandenabeele (direct and via Desaer) and more recently the Porsche line from PEC.

After the University my trips to Belgium became less frequent, but the passion remained. Racing, breeding, winning and sharing the experience with friends is a joy. I’ve always seen the pigeon sport as a wonderful excuse to make friends, meet interesting people and have fun. At the same time, I’ve always taken my responsibilities seriously and worked for the sport, in my club, then at provincial and federation level. The FCI appeared as the natural evolution when I accepted the nomination from my federation first to member of the board and later to Vice-President.

2. What was your motivation to compete for the chairmanship of the FCI?
I was a reluctant candidate, to say the least. I always considered that the Presidency was a post that should ideally be assumed by someone already retired because of its multiple solicitations, and that was, and is, definitely not my case. However, I was aware that the FCI needed unifying leadership, with an ability to build consensus and mend tensions. I ran for president not out of ambition but out of concern for the FCI’s future. I  did almost no campaign, but became very fast a consensual candidate. Primordial factors for my win?  The fact that many people knew me well, had worked with me in multiple dossiers in several Commissions. My capacity of communication speaking fluently 4 languages what conferred me the skills to act many times as a bridge between member federations. Also important was also that I always tried to be part of the solution, never part of the problem. 

3. Can you clearly describe the tasks of the FCI?
Classically, In three words, Regulation, Representation and Organisation of different levels of International competition. The International competitions currently include the Olympiad, World Best Pigeon rankings and all the Championships around the FCI One Loft circuit races including European Championship, AILAC championship and World Championship. In an ideal world this framework would be sufficient. However as we all know , reality presents many additional challenges. Lately the veterinary issues raised by the Avian Flu are assuming more and more importance. A Veterinary Congress was added to the Olympiad and will be organised every two years under the funding and auspices of the FCI.

 4. How many times a year do you meet with the FCI board and what is discussed during those meetings? 
Most commissions meet every trimester. The exception being the Veterinary Commission that due to the Avian flu dossier is the most active. In the period between meetings some issues are entrusted for follow up or elaboration to some members of the commissions or board. The day to day management is done mostly online, with weekly meetings. An in person  reunion of the Comité Directeur  (14 members) is held 3 to 4 times a year. Meanwhile something unexpected always appears to keep us busy. All aspects of the sport are discussed in the meetings, most discussions being about regulations. It’s a type of work that remains mostly unseen by the fanciers, but many times with relevance for the sport. Most of the time a consensus is reached and in that case the measure or regulation is implemented.

5. How does FCI keep in touch with all member countries and what is expected of the member countries?
The FCI is a federation of federations. It comprises national pigeon racing organizations from five continental confederations. We operate on democratic principles, where each member country has a voice. Commissions,such as the Racing Commission, Standard Commission, and Veterinary Commission, support technical and scientific functions of our sport. The roles and responsibilities of all FCI members are clearly outlined in the statutes. As of now, the FCI includes 75 affiliated countries, reflecting the global nature of our organization.

The daily volume of communication at the FCI is considerable. We receive and respond to a wide range of messages, including:

• Requests for assistance.
• Complaints and regulatory inquiries.
• Questions about procedures and rules.
• Applications for subsidies.
• Information requests on veterinary issues, such as vaccines.

Hardly a day goes by without the General Secretary or myself composing multiple emails to address these matters. In addition to email, we also use messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat for both group and one-on-one communication. These tools help us maintain quick and direct contact with federations and individuals.

To improve accessibility and outreach, we are currently working on enhancing the FCI website and social media platforms, aiming to create new channels of interaction.

6. Where does FCI get its income from?

The FCI's income comes from several sources:

1. Member Federation Contributions: Each affiliated federation pays annual fees (quotes) to the FCI.
2. Royalties from the FCI Logo: Ring producers pay royalties for the use of the FCI logo on footrings.
3. OLR Participation Fees: A fee of 2 euros per pigeon is charged to One Loft Races (OLRs) that participate in the FCI OLR Championships.

However, the revenue from OLRs is becoming less significant due to the rising costs of ensuring the reliability and integrity of the FCI OLR competition. The FCI has fewer OLRs under its official status today compared to the past. Some OLRs have been excluded for various reasons, such as:

• Technical errors
• Unsuitable conditions for the pigeons
• Overcrowding
• Failure to comply with FCI regulations
• Non-payment of prizes to fanciers or to the FCI
• Suspicion of poor management or unreliability

The FCI logo serves as a quality guarantee for fanciers participating in OLRs. As such, the FCI maintains strict standards for all affiliated races. Some OLRs have abandoned or forfeited their FCI status because they were either unwilling or unable to meet these requirements.

As FCI President, I will refrain from participating in any OLRs. Once my term ends, I plan to resume sending youngsters to One Loft Races—but only those controlled by the FCI, ensuring the highest standards of quality and trustworthiness.

 7. If we may ask about the role of your predecessor during his term, what are the most important points that he has achieved?
The FCI is not a one-man operation; it is a team effort. Many individuals contribute to the success or failure of each initiative, and most of the work is carried out within the various commissions. My predecessor served a long term, during which he led the FCI through the challenging period of the COVID-19 crisis. His tenure had both highs and lows, as those were difficult times for everyone. However, a lot of work was done. Some of the key achievements were the economic independence of the FCI, establishing the World Best Pigeon Championship, the official registration of FCI as an International Non Profit Organisation in Belgium and revising and approving the new FCI statutes.

8. Which achievements would you like to achieve during your term?
In the early years of my involvement with the FCI board, the organization primarily focused on regulating our sport and serving as a forum for developing consensus on matters related to both the Sport Category and Standard, culminating every two years in the Olympiads. The focus was largely inward. However, over time, the FCI has had to evolve, expanding its role to engage externally. This shift included stepping into a more active lobbying position, engaging with EU authorities and international veterinary organizations. The increasing hyper-regulation by the EU, especially in veterinary matters, largely in response to the Avian Influenza crisis and the rise of radical animal rights groups, who aim to eliminate all sports involving animals (including pigeon racing), required this shift. We find ourselves in a battle to preserve our freedom of movement with pigeons, enabling us to cross borders and race internationally. Animal transport now faces more restrictions, higher costs, and more frequent new legislation. The FCI's role today is much more complex, as we must now engage not just with individual countries but also with multinational institutions such as the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) and the EU (from EFSA to the European Parliament). Our sport has long operated without much external attention, facing general media indifference. To address this, we must open up to the world, focusing on both publicity and accreditation. One of my key objectives is to establish an International Day of the Homing Pigeon, recognized by the United Nations, as well as to seek UNESCO recognition for pigeon racing as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. We have a rich history, both popular and military, that speaks to our cultural significance. Our sport has been intertwined with military history for centuries, and the feats of our pigeons in long-distance races further underscore our relevance. With a large and dedicated community of fanciers, I believe we are more deserving of such recognition than many other traditions. This type of recognition is vital for raising the profile of our sport and the FCI on a global stage, even if it means stepping out of our comfort zone. An International Day could bring us worldwide attention annually, while UNESCO recognition would provide credibility that we’ve never had before.

 9. One-Loft-Races are very important to FCI. How do you keep a possible "wild growth" of OLR under control and how do you monitor the OLR that are raced under the "wings" of FCI? Can you explain more the different championships which are related to FCI One Loft Races.
The truth is, the FCI does not control the wild growth of One Loft Races (OLRs). We live in a diverse world, and each country has its own approach and legislation when it comes to pigeon racing. For example, in The Netherlands, OLRs are prohibited by national veterinary authorities. In Portugal and France, national legislation grants federations the power to supervise and regulate OLRs, including the authority to shut down any race that doesn’t meet the required standards. In countries like Spain and Romania, there is a lack of specific legislation, creating a legal void that allows OLRs to operate without oversight, often leading to a situation of total anarchy. OLRs are very profitable business. Unfortunately, attracting both honest and dishonest individuals. In some cases, individuals with a history of misconduct are launching OLRs, which inevitably leads to bad experiences, such as the infamous collapse of the Million Dollar Race.
The FCI can only intervene in OLRs that apply for and attain FCI OLR status. Once an OLR achieves this status, the FCI takes on the role of supervising and enforcing a strict set of rules, ensuring honest management and fair racing. Any OLR that fails to follow these regulations such as altering results, mistreating pigeons, or not paying the prizes will be excluded from the FCI's oversight. The full set of rules and regulations for FCI-sanctioned OLRs are publicly available on the FCI website, and I won’t go into further detail here.

10. The 39th Olympiad will not be held in China but in Dortmund. What is the role of the FCI in organizing an Olympiad?
The FCI’s role in organizing a Racing Pigeon Olympiad is multifaceted and begins with the selection of the host country and location. This decision is made by a vote in the FCI Comité Directeur after reviewing the submitted candidacies. It was, for many, including myself, disappointing that the China Olympiad could not take place. One of the ongoing challenges for the FCI, as an international organization, is that most of its key events are held in EU countries. The Chinese representatives had been working for over ten years to host an Olympiad, presenting strong bids and dossiers. In the view of the majority of the FCI board, it was time to hold an Olympiad outside Europe. The last non-European Olympiad was in Japan decades ago. Given China’s commitment to the FCI, they deserved the opportunity to host. However, when it became impossible to hold the Olympiad in China, an alternative had to be found. Mr. Stiens and his board decided that Germany would be the best alternative for the 2026 Olympiad. We are grateful to them for stepping forward. We are confident that the DBA (German Pigeon Association) will organize a memorable Olympiad in Dortmund, and preparations are well underway. We expect a record number of visitors, exhibitors, and commercial stands, including a strong presence from Chinese companies. Looking ahead, the 2028 Olympiad will take place in Blackpool, UK, and Poland has already submitted a candidacy for 2030, so the immediate future of the event seems assured. Now, federations are starting to nominate candidates for Standard Judges. Those selected will undergo preparation courses organized by the Standard Commission to ensure proper training and selection. The Sport class criteria have already been set. In June, preparations for the FCI Congress will begin. This will include discussions on the admission of new federations (such as Australia and Pakistan), a revision of the statutes, and other key issues. Tenders for trophies for the Standard, Sport, World Best Pigeon, and FCI OLR competitions are being sought from various companies to be awarded during the Olympiad. The FCI also subsidises some aspects of the event, organises its own stand, cooperates in the general management and technicalities involved and controls all  the pigeons participating data. This involves a great deal of work across all branches and commissions of the FCI.

  11. Will there be important new topics discussed at the coming Olympiad? 
It will be a non electoral year. New elections only in Blackpool. That removes a lot of stress and allows other subjects to be addressed by the Congress, namely a reform of the statutes. One of the alterations that I want to present is the possibility for any member of the Comité Directeur to be able to present himself for President and not only the Vice-presidents as it is now written in the statutes. Open the choices. The FCI needs to adjust to times and become more dynamic. Outside the Congress the focus will also be in the Veterinary agenda namely all related to the Avian influenza.

Thank you for taking the time and thank you for your openness and we wish you every success during your term of office

Stefan Mertens