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Canadian Soccer: Turf lawsuit without merit

By WTOP Staff

TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian Soccer Association opposes a request for an expedited hearing on whether using artificial turf in the 2015 Women’s World Cup discriminates against women.

A group of elite female players filed a complaint last week with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, asking for an expedited hearing. The CSA, which doubles as national organizing committee of the tournament, and FIFA were given until Thursday to respond to the request to expedite the hearing.

“The Canadian Soccer Association is prepared to vigorously defend its position and believes the complaint is entirely without merit,” the CSA said in its response, released Friday. “It should not however have to do so in an expedited process.”

The CSA argues that FIFA-approved artificial turf is sanctioned for tournament play, noting the world governing body of soccer “does not distinguish between male and female players in the application of those standards.”

The CSA says it will show there is “no proven increased risk” to players from the use of turf over grass, as supported by independent studies. And it suggests that artificial turf is needed in Canada “as a result of its climate and culture.”

The lawyer for the female players expressed disappointment at the CSA submission while noting that FIFA — “amazingly and in defiance of the court’s directive” — did not respond at all.

“Sadly, the Canadian Soccer Association continues to spend time and money on lawyers and procedural delay tactics in a frantic effort to avoid a final court ruling,” lawyer Hampton Dellinger said in a statement. “Instead, CSA and FIFA should be cooperating with the 2015 World Cup’s most important asset — the world’s best players — and paying to provide natural grass fields rather than the plastic pitches that even the most casual fan knows have no place at soccer’s premier tournament.”

Dellinger accused the CSA of relegating the world’s best female players to “game-changing, dangerous and demeaning conditions.”

“Here’s the heart of the matter: what CSA calls the ‘best available’ fields are so bad that CSA decided that the Canadian men’s national team — one of international football’s weakest sides — would not have to play a mere World Cup qualifying match on them. And these ‘best available’ fields are so bad that they would not have had a chance at hosting any prior men’s World Cup or any future one for years to come.”

The CSA, however, argues that the turf complaint is frivolous.

“The use of high-quality turf is integral to soccer in Canada, and the suggestion that having matches played on first-class football turf rather than grass would be discrimination based on gender trivializes that important human right,” the CSA said in a brief filed by constitutional lawyer Joseph Arvay.

The CSA also contends that the lawsuit is aimed at FIFA and not Canada.

“The applicants cannot seriously contend that the CSA’s decision to bid on the competition, proposing to use Canada’s best available facilities, constitutes discrimination. The applicants’ real concern is not with any conduct by the CSA, but with the decision of FIFA to permit the competition to be held in a country where turf is a common playing surface in our premier stadiums.

“That is a decision which is not subject to review by this tribunal and one which the applicants are out of time to challenge in any event. They appear to have brought the complaint largely as means of publicizing their dissatisfaction with FIFA’s decision made in Zurich in 2011, to allow the CSA to host the competition.”

The players asked for a Nov. 26 hearing, which the CSA said was “unworkable.”

A recently concluded FIFA inspection tour delivered a positive review of tournament preparations in Vancouver, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal; and Moncton, New Brunswick.

“Canada is well on track,” said Tatjana Haenni, FIFA deputy director of the competitions division and head of women’s competitions. “We’ve inspected the six stadiums and, overall, we are pleased with Canada’s readiness.”

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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