Drugs, smuggling and abductions: inside the fast and furious world of pigeon racing in Taiwan

Low regulation and high stakes mean Taiwanese pigeon racing is awash with cheating – but efforts are afoot to clean up the sport

There’s almost nothing some handlers won’t do to win. Competitors have been kidnapped and then offered up for ransom. Others have reportedly been smuggled on to high-speed trains to get to the finish line first. Some are said to be kept hungry so that they move quicker on race day.

This is the fast and furious world of pigeon racing in Taiwan.

Animals rights groups want to see pigeon racing banned while acknowledging it is deeply embedded in Taiwanese society