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Cameroon investigates World Cup fixing allegations

By WTOP Staff

GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Cameroon’s football federation said it will investigate allegations of match-fixing by its team at the World Cup and the possible existence of seven corrupt players on the squad, raising fears that match manipulation has infected football’s biggest event.

Fecafoot said in a statement late Monday that it had instructed its own ethics committee to open an investigation into accusations by convicted fixer Wilson Raj Perumal that there were “seven bad apples” on the West African team at the World Cup.

Fecafoot said it had not been contacted by FIFA when it announced its investigation.

“Yes I have been told about this but let them do their work on this investigation,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter told reporters Tuesday in Brazil.

The world body should normally take the lead in investigating allegations of fixing in World Cup matches.

Cameroon was eliminated after losing all three of its group-stage matches at the World Cup: 1-0 to Mexico, 4-0 to Croatia and 4-1 to host Brazil.

Germany’s Der Spiegel alleged that in a chat with the magazine hours ahead of the match Perumal — who is linked to previous fixing in African football — correctly predicted the score of the Croatia game and that Cameroon would have a player sent off in the first half.

“Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon’s three 2014 FIFA World Cup preliminary games, especially Cameroon vs. Croatia, as well as the ‘existence of seven bad apples (in our national team)’ do not reflect the values and principles promoted by our administration in line with the FIFA Code of Conduct and the ethics of our nation,” Fecafoot said in the statement, which was signed by interim president Joseph Owona.

“We wish to inform the general public that, though not contacted by FIFA in regards to this affair, our administration has already instructed its ethics committee to further investigate these accusations.”

On Tuesday, FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer said the governing body would not comment on details “so as to not compromise any possible investigations.”

Perumal allegedly predicted the outcome of Cameroon-Croatia in a Facebook conversation with Der Spiegel before the Group A game in Manaus on June 18. The magazine said Perumal, a Singaporean with ties to Asian and Eastern European gambling syndicates, accurately predicted the 4-0 scoreline and that Cameroon would have a player sent off in the first half.

Cameroon midfielder Alex Song, who plays for Barcelona, was sent off before halftime for needlessly elbowing Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic in the back.

Perumal did not give a source for his allegations. In the chat, he also referred to there being “seven bad apples” on the Cameroon team, Der Spiegel said.

That game was the low point of a disastrous World Cup for Cameroon, which conceded nine goals and scored just one in its three games. Cameroon’s embarrassing campaign also involved its players threatening to strike before the tournament over bonus payments and an on-field fight between teammates in that Croatia game. In the final minutes of the match, an argument between defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto and midfielder Benjamin Moukandjo ended with Assou-Ekotto head-butting Moukandjo.

Fecafoot had already launched a disciplinary investigation into the behavior of its players in the Croatia game.

“We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter,” the federation said of the match-fixing allegations.

Perumal was jailed in Finland for match-fixing and is currently in Hungary, where he testified last week in a match-fixing trial.

He is also believed to be behind fixed games involving South Africa’s national team in the buildup to the last World Cup, when corrupt referees are thought to have manipulated games.

___

Ciaran Fahey in Berlin and Graham Dunbar in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report.

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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