New York Press
JUNE 7, 2006
STEROID PIGEON ALERT
BRET LIEBENDORFER
INFORMATION AGENT
You know it’s a sad day for sports when even the purest of sports becomes tainted by allegations of illicit substance abuse. On Monday, the New York Post reported that now pigeon racing has its own doping scandal. As if those scandals involving Barry Bonds, the Olympics and the Tour de France weren’t exciting enough. Peter Lepore is suing the Bronx Homing Pigeon Club because they have barred him from entering competitions. What’s their reason? His winning streak can only be accounted for by one explanation: he gave his pigeons performance-enhancing drugs. Lepore says the claims are not only untrue but have defamed his character—a character that has allegedly suffered $500,000 in damages and $150,000 in legal bills. Perhaps it should not be surprising that such a scandal has not affected the sport earlier. In this ever-increasingly competitive era, there’s more pressure on athletes and coaches to win than ever before. Who are we kidding? What’s most surprising is that people race pigeons. That sounds about as appealing as racing rats.
Volume 19, Issue 23
New York Press
JUNE 7, 2006
STEROID PIGEON ALERT
BRET LIEBENDORFER
INFORMATION AGENT
You know it’s a sad day for sports when even the purest of sports becomes tainted by allegations of illicit substance abuse. On Monday, the New York Post reported that now pigeon racing has its own doping scandal. As if those scandals involving Barry Bonds, the Olympics and the Tour de France weren’t exciting enough. Peter Lepore is suing the Bronx Homing Pigeon Club because they have barred him from entering competitions. What’s their reason? His winning streak can only be accounted for by one explanation: he gave his pigeons performance-enhancing drugs. Lepore says the claims are not only untrue but have defamed his character—a character that has allegedly suffered $500,000 in damages and $150,000 in legal bills. Perhaps it should not be surprising that such a scandal has not affected the sport earlier. In this ever-increasingly competitive era, there’s more pressure on athletes and coaches to win than ever before. Who are we kidding? What’s most surprising is that people race pigeons. That sounds about as appealing as racing rats.
Volume 19, Issue 23
New York Press