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Brazilian club promises to punish racist fans

By WTOP Staff

TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian club Gremio has promised to help identify and punish those of its fans who taunted a player in the latest case of racism to taint the national game.

The club said Friday it will analyze footage from television and security cameras in finding the fans responsible for monkey taunts directed at Santos goalkeeper Aranha in Thursday’s Brazilian Cup match in Porto Alegre.

Aranha has filed a police report to formalize his initial complaints about the slurs which were chanted by supporters behind his goal near the end of Santos’ 2-0 win at Arena Gremio.

Next week’s return match has been suspended until a sports tribunal can analyze the case. Gremio could be excluded from the competition depending on the tribunal’s decision.

Footage shows one young woman clearly yelling “monkey” from the stands. Local media said she was identified though social media networks and reportedly was suspended from her job because of the case’s repercussion.

“Gremio will do everything possible to help the police find the truth and those responsible for those acts,” club president Fabio Koff told a news conference. “The punishment will be rigorous. We obviously regret what happened.”

The club said it had initially identified “about five” of the fans and intended to ban them from the team’s stadium. It said it was still working with local authorities to try to identify other fans.

Gremio released a video on its website condemning racism.

“Enough. Gremio is against any type of discrimination,” said the video, which also showed many of Gremio’s black players in action in the past. “We are blue (one of the team’s colors). We are black. We are white.”

The match was briefly interrupted as the goalkeeper talked to the referee, making monkey gestures and pointing to the fans.

The incident was included by the referee in the match report and Gremio is expected to face a suspension. The team was fined about $35,000 earlier this year for fans’ racist insults against another player at the Arena Gremio.

“Unfortunately we live in a racist country,” said Gremio midfielder Ze Roberto, who played for Brazil at the 2006 World Cup. “If there are images showing who’s responsible for this, then there needs to be a punishment.”

Santos striker Robinho, who has played in Spain, England and Italy, said that such incidents have to be taken seriously by local authorities.

“In Europe we have severe punishment for cases like this. Maybe it’s what needs to start happening here,” he said. “They need to identify the fans and really punish them.”

Before the World Cup, Brazil defender Dani Alves was targeted by racist fans while playing for Barcelona in Spain, igniting a social media campaign against racism led by Brazil teammate Neymar.

In April, a Brazilian sports tribunal stripped points from Brazilian club Esportivo after its fans racially abused a referee during a match. The points deduction led to its relegation in a regional championship in southern Brazil.

The decision came after fans allegedly told the referee to “return to the jungle” and left bananas on top of his car.

That same month, a player for club Sao Bernardo filed a police report against Parana fans who allegedly taunted him with racist insults in a Brazilian Cup match. In March, a sports tribunal fined Brazilian club Mogi Mirim $21,000 because its fans racially abused former Brazil midfielder Arouca in a game against Santos in the Sao Paulo state championship.

The punishment to Mogi Mirim was announced on the same day that South American football’s governing body fined Peruvian club Real Garcilaso $12,000 for fan abuse against Cruzeiro midfielder Tinga in a Copa Libertadores match.

“If there is no proper punishment, these acts will just keep happening,” Santos coach Oswaldo Oliveira said.

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Follow Tales Azzoni at http://www.twitter.com/tazzoni

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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