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Kenya promises action against sports doping

By WTOP Staff

JOHN LEICESTER
AP Sports Writer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Kenya has a doping problem, one of the country’s government ministers told The Associated Press, and it also has a plan to clean it up.

Only days after marathon runner Rita Jeptoo was exposed for a positive doping test, Kenyan sports minister Hassan Wario Arero said the country has “a very clear roadmap” to tackle the problem and will open a new anti-doping agency by the end of the year.

“The key thing here is acknowledging the problem, that there is a problem (and) although it is drip-drip, that it may become a bigger problem if you don’t handle it,” Wario, the cabinet secretary at the Ministry of Sports, said in an interview with the AP.

Wario blamed sports agents “who have infiltrated our camps,” and also criticized the Kenyan athletics federation for being uncooperative.

Jeptoo, winner of the last two Chicago and Boston Marathons, tested positive for EPO in an out-of-competition test in Kenya on Sept. 25. She is one of the highest profile Kenyan athletes to fail a doping test.

In a separate interview with the AP, World Anti-Doping Agency president Craig Reedie pointed to the example of Jamaica, which bolstered its anti-doping program under outside pressure and with outside help following concerns that it wasn’t sufficiently testing its world-class sprinters.

“The world will expect Kenya to do more, in the way that the world expected Jamaica to do more,” Reedie said. “Jamaica have put their house in order and I hope very much that Kenya will put its house in order.”

Reedie and Wario plan to hold talks on the sidelines of the Doha Goals sports forum in Qatar.

Jeptoo’s case comes weeks after a Kenyan task force, formed a year ago, released a damaging report into doping in the country.

Wario said the report “was our way of saying we have nothing to hide. As a country we acknowledge the problems we have.”

He pointed a finger of blame at the agents managing Kenyan athletes.

“We need now to understand who these agents are,” Wario said. “There are many people who have infiltrated our camps.”

Wario said the country’s new anti-doping agency “will have teeth” to deal with sports federations “that do not cooperate with us,” singling out Kenya’s athletics federation.

“They haven’t been as cooperative as we would have liked them to be,” Wario said.

The minister said the government is investing $50,000 in the agency, which will get training and expertise from the anti-doping agencies of China and Norway. Samples from doping tests will still be sent to South Africa for analysis, as they are now.

“We are taking baby steps but I think we are heading in the right direction,” Wario said. “We have a very clear roadmap.”

Reedie said he wrote to Kenyan authorities three weeks ago “pointing out to them that this situation should not be allowed to continue.”

He also noted that Kenya’s report on doping appears so far to have been followed “by relatively little action.”

“They have time to pull this together,” Reedie said. “I would want to see speedy reaction to the report and to see progress.”

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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