THE CONTROVERSIAL Ironman competition due to take place in Weymouth next month has been thrown into doubt after council bosses insisted they had not yet given permission to close roads for the event to go ahead.

Organisers of Ironman 70.3 announced they were still planning to stage the contest on September 20, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

They have sent out leaflets to residents across the region detailing plans for the event, including a number of road closures throughout the day.

But Dorset Council says no final decision on the closures has yet been taken - throwing the event into doubt.

A council spokesperson said: “The final decision on whether Dorset Council can put road closures in place for Ironman’s event on 20 September has not been made yet.

“The multi-agency Safety Advisory Group meets next week to discuss Ironman’s plans. The views of this group will be used to inform Dorset Council’s decision concerning road closures.”

Since organisers announced their plans to stage the spectacle, residents have raised concerns that they will be put at risk if thousands of competitors and spectators descend on the area during a pandemic.

But bosses today insisted the safety of athletes, spectators, staff and volunteers was paramount, as they revealed the measures they plan to put in place on the day.

Sarah Malone, marketing manager for UK and Ireland at Ironman, said: “Ironman has developed a “return to racing” concept regarding Covid-19 that will allow races around the globe to return in a manner consistent with sound health guidelines.

“Our utmost concern is the safety of our athletes, spectators, staff and volunteers. The Ironman team have made significant changes to Ironman 70.3 Weymouth. The implementation of these changes reduces total touch points and interactions by as much as 90 per cent. We have spent months reviewing our procedures and have introduced mitigation measures for Ironman 70.3 Weymouth to ensure the event is as safe as possible.”

The team at Ironman has produced a document detailing the safety measures they will be taking on the day. Their strategy to reduce any spread of coronavirus is split into five elements: enhanced hygiene, screening and education, density reduction, touch point minimisation and athlete self-reliance.

Ms Malone added: “We understand the trust the community places in us as event organisers and we have ensured to take every possible measure to mitigate risk at the event. Next week Ironman will meet with the multi-agency Safety Advisory Group where we will discuss these changes.”