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Just a week after canceling all high school athletic events in anticipation of the beginning of the war in Iraq, DODDS-Europe officials announced the resumption of the season Tuesday.

With the exception of a few soccer and softball games and a track meet in England, the season will resume as scheduled at most sites beginning immediately, said DODDS-Europe spokesman Frank O’Gara, who cautioned in a news release that last-minute changes are possible for any event.

“DODDS-E officials are coordinating with command officials about all upcoming events. Parents should contact local schools for all the latest information,” O’Gara said in his release.

As of Wednesday, cancellations, none of which was in response to specific threats, according to O’Gara, had claimed Ansbach girls at Brussels and Würzburg boys and girls at Lakenheath soccer and the track meet scheduled for London Central. Saturday’s Bitburg-at-Baumholder softball game was listed as canceled in Tuesday’s release but had returned to the schedule on Wednesday morning, according to DODDS-Europe athletic director Karen Seadore.

Changes in the March 29 weekend schedule moved a track meet scheduled for Bamberg to Ramstein and created a softball mini-tournament in Lakenheath among the host team, AFNORTH, Mannheim, Alconbury and London Central. The Wiesbaden-at-Ramstein boys and girls soccer games were moved to Friday from Saturday because of the track meet on Saturday.

Naples was granted permission to hold its track meet as scheduled, although authorities in Vicenza denied the Cougars permission to travel there. Soccer and tennis teams from Naples will play at Marymount International School of Rome as scheduled.

However, more changes are likely before the first kickoff or starter’s gun this weekend. Anyone planning to attend a high school athletic event should contact the school involved prior to setting out.

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