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WADA welcomes Armstrong meeting with cycling panel

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN WILSON
AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — Lance Armstrong’s meeting with an independent panel investigating cycling’s doping past was welcomed by the World Anti-Doping Agency on Friday as a positive step in getting to the bottom of the drug culture which ravaged the sport.

Armstrong met with investigators for seven hours on May 22 at a hotel outside Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., according to Elliot Peters, an attorney for the American rider who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping.

WADA director general David Howman said the agency knew a meeting would take place but had no information about what was said, stressing that the Cycling Independent Reform Commission is doing its own work.

“It just shows the establishment of an independent commission was a useful device,” Howman told The Associated Press. “To be fair, it’s what Armstrong said all along — that if there would be an independent body he would go and talk to them.”

“Credit’s due all around,” Howman added. “At least that discussion has occurred. That’s very good”

Armstrong’s willingness to talk to the commission has been seen as crucial in efforts to look into the International Cycling Union’s handling of doping in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including whether former UCI officials covered up or were complicit in his doping.

“It’s up to the CIRC and the information he actually gave,” Howman said. “We’re going to have to be patient and wait for them to complete their job.”

The commission is chaired by Dick Marty, a Swiss politician and former Swiss state prosecutor. The other members are German anti-doping expert Ulrich Haas and Peter Nicholson, a former Australian military officer and war crimes investigator.

UCI President Brian Cookson has said that Armstrong’s lifetime ban for doping could be reduced if he provides information which assists other doping investigations. Peters said Thursday that Armstrong did not ask for, and was not offered such a deal.

Howman said WADA would be told if there were moves to cut Armstrong’s ban.

“They’ve got to complete their job before they start doing anything,” he said. “We would hear if there were any suggestions of penalty changes and things like that, because that’s where we have to be involved.”

The UCI would not comment Friday on details of the investigation but said that, since the panel was formed in February, it has met with “a wide range of individuals and organizations.”

Among those meeting with the commission have been “riders and members of their entourage, experts, sponsors, anti-doping agencies, UCI staff members and many others directly or indirectly involved in the sport of cycling,” the UCI said in a statement to the AP.

“The CIRC also has full access to the UCI’s files and electronic data which it is reviewing as part of its inquiry,” it said.

Under the WADA code, athletes can have sanctions reduced if they provide “substantial assistance” to anti-doping investigators. The aim is to target any members of an athlete’s entourage who may be involved in the doping.

American sprinter Tyson Gay received a reduced one-year suspension in May after cooperating with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s investigation, a decision accepted by WADA.

“This is the only way we can get information on the entourage,” Howman said. “We’ve got to be strong about that. That’s only with people coming forward. The whole idea is to allow reduction of penalties in those circumstances. We have the ability to scrutinize whether that should happen. We’re doing that and I think we’re doing it responsibly.”

Howman dismissed calls by some athletes for imposition of lifetime bans for a serious first offense. WADA has doubled the penalty from two-year to four-year suspensions in the new doping code that goes into effect next year. Lifetime bans were deemed to be legally unenforceable.

“We have to be very sensible,” Howman said. “We can’t be emotional and we’ve got to follow that sort of legal advice.”

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AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, and Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Chamrousse, France, contributed.

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Follow Stephen Wilson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stevewilsonap

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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