Dazzling jumps. Passionate expression and artistry. Blades are moving so fast you feel a wind. These are all aspects of figure skating that make it so captivating and loved on the world stage. Split into five main disciplines (men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, ice dance, and synchronized skating), the sport is commonly the most-watched event at the Winter Olympics. Each discipline is differentiated by the number of competitors. Men’s and women’s singles, as the name suggests, involve individuals, while pairs and ice dance involve two skaters. By comparison, a synchronized skating team requires sixteen skaters on the ice at once. While impressive, the number of skaters needed in the discipline may be the very reason why it is the only discipline not included in the Olympics.
The key components of synchronized skating, or synchro, for short, and the other disciplines are very similar, with the exact same scoring system across disciplines. Speed is crucial for high scoring and presentation of skating skills, and more speed can be generated by sixteen people than by one or two. Artistry and competition are core aspects of figure skating that are also present in the synchro world; there are several national and international competitions year-round for all levels of synchro, and each season culminates with the World Championships. The skills involved in synchronized skating can be described as a combination of all the other disciplines — jumps and spins that align with singles skating were recently added, and the tricks and turn sequences similar to those in pairs and ice dance are all required elements for synchro. An additional component for synchro, because of its team nature, is unison in movement and group formations. With sixteen individuals, a synchronized skating team can create circles, intersecting lines, and a multitude of other shapes on the ice while performing skills simultaneously.
Based on this, it seems obvious that synchro would be an exciting addition to the Olympics. From organizations like US Figure Skating, there has been immense support for its addition, so why is it not included yet? The main reason is cost. One synchro team is already sixteen skaters, and adding team personnel and alternate athletes makes the number twenty or more. Several synchro teams would mean the Olympic host city would be responsible for providing more than a hundred more rooms, meals, and transportation. This would mean a bigger Olympic Village, costing the host country and the International Olympic Committee significantly more than in previous years. The addition of synchro would also mean many more athletes at the Games in general, which is also unwanted to maintain the Games’ prestige and exclusivity.
If too many athletes are the issue, then the logical approach seems to be to reduce the team sizes. In the last three years, the International Skating Union (ISU) has experimented with an Elite 12 division (12 skaters), as well as a new Synchro 9 division (9 skaters), which the ISU will test this year before it debuts at the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics. As a synchronized skater myself who has watched world-level teams several times, I disagree with this approach. The amount of speed and emotion that is created by a team of sixteen is unmatched, and the creativity in choreography and tricks is best when a larger number of skaters are involved. No group of twelve, and certainly not nine, can replicate the feeling of awe when watching a talented, full team of sixteen synchro skaters.
Therefore, while it is nice that active changes are being made to push synchro towards the Olympics, I believe its addition in the Games is not worth taking away from its core values. Synchronized skating is special because of its team nature, and by decreasing the number of skaters, the sport’s enjoyment, magic, and success are jeopardized. I would love to see synchro in the Olympics, but only if it is allowed to maintain the current qualities that make this beloved sport so special.