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FIFA bans Suarez for 4 months for biting opponent

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Luis Suarez exits the World Cup with one of the longest bans in tournament history, and his reputation once again in tatters.

The Uruguay forward, widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, was banned by FIFA from all football for four months on Thursday for biting an Italian opponent in an incident that marred the team’s victory and progression to the second round.

It’s the third time he’s served a suspension for biting an opponent — after similar incidents at both Ajax in the Dutch league and Liverpool in England — and the second straight World Cup where Suarez exits in disgrace.

The four-month ban will sideline Suarez for the first two months of Liverpool’s season. He was also suspended for Uruguay’s next nine matches, which extends beyond the four months and rules him out of next year’s Copa America, where his team is the defending champion. The Uruguayan football federation said it would appeal.

Aside from Diego Maradona’s 15-month suspension for a failed drug test at the 1994 tournament, it’s the longest ban handed out to a player at the World Cup. FIFA also fined Suarez 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).

Suarez bit the left shoulder of defender Giorgio Chiellini on Tuesday in Natal during Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy, an incident that went unpunished by the referee but was witnessed by fans around the world on TV. Given Suarez’s previous biting incidents, the images went viral immediately.

“Such behavior cannot be tolerated on any football pitch and in particular not at a FIFA World Cup, when the eyes of millions of people are on the stars on the field,” Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, said in a statement.

The Uruguayan federation was preparing an urgent appeal, as Suarez headed home. FIFA even barred him staying with teammates ahead of their round-of-16 game against Colombia on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro.

“Luis in the next few hours will travel to Montevideo to be with the rest of his family to recover,” federation president Wilmar Valdez told reporters.

Suarez scored both goals in Uruguay’s 2-1 win over England, a performance that further enhanced a reputation that had gradually been rebuilt following a 10-game suspension for biting a Premier League opponent last May, and an eight-game ban for racially abusing an opponent in 2011. Suarez was voted the English league’s best player last season after a campaign void of any disciplinary issues.

But now, the 27-year-old Suarez is the main actor in the World Cup’s most damaging episode for a second time.

In the quarterfinals in 2010 in South Africa, his deliberate handball on the goal-line in the final minute of extra time denied Ghana an almost certain winning goal that would have made it the first ever African semifinalist.

Suarez was sent off, and then refused to apologize for his celebratory dance near the players’ tunnel where he stayed to watch Ghana miss the resulting penalty. He also shrugged off criticism Tuesday of his bite.

As usual, Uruguay officials and players defended their star player Thursday.

“It feels like Uruguay has been thrown out of the World Cup,” Valdez said, denouncing “a severe punishment.”

Veteran defender Diego Lugano wrote on his Facebook page that Suarez’s family should be “proud of him, he deserves it.”

“A hug to Luis, who, as always, will rise,” Lugano, captain on the 2010 team, wrote. “Outrage, impotence, I think that’s what all of us feel. We all would like a fairer world, but that world simply doesn’t exist.”

Even Uruguay fans who agreed Suarez’s action was “stupid” did not agree with the sanction.

“Uruguay is a small country that eliminated two big nations like Italy and England and it’s not for FIFA’s benefit to let Uruguay continue playing,” supporter Juan Jose Monzillo said in Montevideo.

Suarez’s ban extends one game more than Italy defender Mauro Tassotti’s eight-match international sanction for elbowing a Spanish opponent in a 1994 World Cup quarterfinal. That incident was also missed by match officials.

By also banning Suarez from all football activities, FIFA also prohibited Suarez from entering a World Cup stadium. He cannot train with Liverpool until the ban ends in late October.

“Hopefully he will realize now that behavior of this type will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” said FIFA vice president Jim Boyce of Northern Ireland.

The ban includes Liverpool’s first three Champions League games in the five-time European champion’s return after a five-year absence. Suarez will also miss the first nine Premier League matches.

Suarez would still be allowed transfer to a different club during the ban, Fischer said. He has been linked to a move to Barcelona.

Sports manufacturer adidas, which sponsors both Suarez and the World Cup, said it agreed with the ruling. The company said it will not use Suarez for “additional marketing” during the World Cup but would not immediately drop him as a client.

“We will again be reminding him of the high standards we expect from our players,” adidas said in a statement.

___

AP Sports Writers Rob Harris and Gerald Imray in Rio de Janeiro, and Associated Press writer Leonardo Haberkorn in Montevideo, Uruguay, contributed to this report

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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