The governing body has formally asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to consider adding both events to the Games, insidethegames has been told.

Both events are being proposed as additions to the programmes for each sport, with an increase in figure skating athletes.

According to the Chicago Tribune, synchronised skating at the Olympics would include "nine or 10" all-female teams of 16 competitors each.

They would all compete in a short programme, with six teams advance to the free skate final.

Mixed teams would instead be composed at the request of the IOC.

The mass start - with a race for men and a race for women - would be made up of 16 laps with skaters wearing "transponders to verify lap counts and finish positions," according to ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta.

A maximum field of 24 skaters in each race would be whittled down to eight each for the final.

Competitors would come from athletes already qualified in either long or short-track events, while the addition of synchronised figure skating would add around 150 athletes, coaches and support staff.

International Skating Union President Ottavio Cinquanta says he is not favouring one event over the other in a bid to add them to the Olympic programme ©AFP/Getty Images



"I don't know if the IOC will approve both, and I have not made propaganda for one over the other," Cinquanta added to the Chicago Tribune.

The proposed additions were approved by the ISU Congress earlier this year.

The IOC's Executive Board is due to sign off on the final programme for the 2018 Games and athlete quotas in April.

While synchronised figure skating has not featured at an Olympic Games before, there was a mass start element to speed skating events at Lake Placid 1932.

Cinquanta said he hopes to discuss the planned additions with the Pyeongchang 2018 Organising Committee next month.