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16-year-old Nigerian weightlifter fails drug test

By WTOP Staff

ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — A 16-year-old Nigerian weightlifter failed a doping test after becoming the youngest ever female to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport, organizers said Tuesday.

Chika Amalaha has been provisionally suspended from the Glasgow Games after testing positive for diuretics and masking agents after winning the 53-kilogram (117-pound) division last Friday.

Amalaha’s “A” sample contained amiloride and hydrochlorothiazide, which are both banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Amalaha asked for the backup “B” sample to be tested, which will happen in London on Wednesday.

Amalaha would be stripped of the gold medal if the second sample also comes back positive.

WADA is set to investigate how someone so young had access to banned substances.

“I am rather saddened and disappointed this has happened to a 16-year-old,” WADA President Craig Reedie told The Associated Press. “We will need to see if the ‘B’ sample matches the ‘A.’ Then if it does the girl will be removed from the games and it will be up to the international weightlifting federation to apply a sanction and then she would lose her medal.

“WADA will look at the circumstances surrounding this case once we know the full facts.”

The test was part of an anti-doping program at the games targeting specific sports based largely on intelligence, rather than testing every medal winner.

“It shows we have a very robust anti-doping program in place,” Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper said. “It sends a strong message to anybody in any sport that if you go down the path of doping, any substance to enhance performance, they will be caught … it’s an ongoing battle.”

Amalaha set Commonwealth Games records in her weight category with a total of 196 kilograms (432 pounds), breaking the previous mark of 188 kilograms (414 pounds). Dika Toua of Papua New Guinea won silver and Santoshi Matsa of India earned the bronze.

Amalaha said last week that she took up weightlifting despite opposition at home.

“I started at the age of 12, but my family were strongly against me doing the sport at first,” she said. “They kept me telling to stop doing it, but I persuaded them by getting a female coach.

“From then on, it was hard work, training, a lot of pain and dedication that got me here today. And now my family were in the audience and they are so excited and so proud.”

The positive test is the latest setback for weightlifting, which has been marred by doping cases. Nigeria’s weightlifting team didn’t compete at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester because of a doping ban imposed in 2001 after four members of the squad failed drug tests.

Four years ago in New Delhi, three Nigerian runners failed doping tests. Folashade Abugan was stripped of silver medals in the women’s 400 meters and 4×400-meter relay after testing positive for a steroid. Osayomi Oludamola had her gold medal in the 100 meters taken away after testing positive for a banned stimulant and hurdler Samuel Okon, who did not win a medal, also tested positive.

Hooper told The Associated Press on Sunday that about 1,500 random doping tests would be conducted in total in Glasgow. About two-thirds will be carried out during the competition, with the rest completed before the games began on July 23.

Two Welsh athletes had to withdraw over doping offenses committed ahead of the Glasgow Games.

European 400-meter hurdles champion Rhys Williams was ruled out on Friday after being charged with an anti-doping violation at the Glasgow Grand Prix on July 11.

His Welsh teammate, Gareth Warburton, who had been due to compete in the 800 meters at the Commonwealth Games, is going through a U.K. Anti-Doping disciplinary procedure after being charged with earlier anti-doping offenses.

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Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris

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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