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Austria tightens anti-doping laws after Sochi case

By WTOP Staff

ERIC WILLEMSEN
Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — Austria is tightening its anti-doping laws, making it illegal for athletes to work with coaches and officials who have been banned in doping cases.

“There will be an increased focus on the athlete’s entourage,” Austria sports minister Gerald Klug told national radio station Oe1 on Friday.

Klug didn’t elaborate on how the rule can be enforced effectively but said testing will concentrate more on sports with a history of doping.

“We are going toward more intelligent testing,” Klug said. “We’ll focus mainly on sports which have been affected by doping many times, and on athletes who show a sudden major improvement in their performance.”

The new laws also make complicity in drug cheating a criminal offense and include stricter rules for witnesses called by the National Anti-Doping Agency.

“For investigations you need witnesses,” the minister said. “In the past, many witnesses just didn’t appear for a hearing. In the future, they can be obliged by a criminal court to testify.”

Also, the standard suspension for a first doping offense will be doubled from two to four years in accordance with the new World Anti-Doping Agency Code.

“A four-year suspension will effectively mean the end of a career in many cases,” Klug said.

The laws, which will take effect in 2015 barring rejection by the Austrian Parliament, come less than a year after Austrian cross-country skier Johannes Duerr was expelled from the Sochi Olympics for using the blood booster EPO.

Duerr admitted to taking the drug after he tested positive in a sample taken in Austria, where he had returned for training during the games.

Austria has been increasing its fight against banned substances since its biathlon and cross-country teams were caught up in a blood doping scandal at the 2006 Turin Olympics.

Acting on a tip, Italian police raided the Austrian team lodgings near Turin and seized blood doping equipment and other substances. No Austrians tested positive at those games, but the IOC later banned several for life.

The biathlon and cross-country director of the Austrian ski federation, Markus Gandler, was at the center of investigations but was cleared of wrongdoing by an Italian court in 2012. Gandler was also in charge of the cross-country team at the Sochi Games.

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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