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CAS upholds Suarez’s 4-month playing ban

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

Luis Suarez will train with his Barcelona teammates on Friday after his ban for biting an opponent at the World Cup was softened but not shortened.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Thursday that the Uruguay forward, who recently left Liverpool for Barcelona, deserves his four-month ban from playing official matches for both his club and his country.

CAS did, however, clear Suarez to start training with his club, and Barcelona said he will join practice for the upcoming season on Friday, and have his formal introduction to the media and fans on Tuesday. He could play in a club friendly on Monday.

Suarez bit Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder during Uruguay’s 1-0 win at the World Cup on June 24. He denied it at first, but later admitted it and apologized within days.

“The sanctions imposed on the player were generally proportionate to the offense committed,” the court said in a statement.

Suarez can next play a competitive match on Oct. 25, and it should be worth watching. Barcelona has an away match against Real Madrid that weekend, the first clasico of the Spanish league season.

Suarez remains banned for Uruguay’s next eight competitive matches and will miss next year’s Copa America and some World Cup qualifying matches.

Still, the court confirmed he is allowed to play non-competition friendly matches under the terms of FIFA’s disciplinary rules.

On Monday, Suarez could make his Barcelona debut against Mexican club Leon at Camp Nou for the Joan Gamper Trophy, a traditional season-opening match named for the Catalan club’s founder, used to present its team for the new season.

Uruguay has friendlies scheduled for Sept. 5 in Japan and Sept. 9 in South Korea. Suarez is eligible to play in those matches.

However, Thursday’s judgment forces Suarez to miss eight Spanish league matches and three of Barcelona’s six Champions League group matches.

The court described the ban imposed by FIFA on Suarez from taking part in any football activity as “excessive.”

“However, the 4-month suspension will apply to official matches only and no longer to other football-related activities (such as training, promotional activities and administrative matters),” the court said.

Banning Suarez from training meant the ban “would still have an impact on his activity after the end of the suspension,” the panel ruled.

Suarez, who left Liverpool for Barcelona after the World Cup, appeared at the court’s fast-track hearing last Friday in an effort to reduce his ban.

FIFA had also fined him 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000).

CAS will publish its reasons for the verdict in the coming weeks.

Suarez, who was supported in his appeal by Barcelona and the Uruguay football federation, could challenge the ruling at the Swiss Federal Tribunal. That is a much longer process, and the court only intervenes if legal process was abused.

After being sent home from the World Cup before Uruguay’s second-round loss to Colombia, Suarez still has the majority of his nine-match competitive internationals ban still to serve.

Suarez has bitten opponents on other occasions as well, when playing for Ajax in 2010 and Liverpool last year.

“I deeply regret what occurred,” Suarez wrote in a Twitter message shortly after his ban at the World Cup was announced. “(The) truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me.”

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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