The FIL has held a meeting outside of Salzburg ©FIL

International Luge Federation (FIL) President Josef Fendt has admitted the women's doubles discipline is a "major challenge" as a total of 17 countries accepted new sleds from the worldwide governing body.

The FIL offered the women's doubles sleds to its Member Associations free of charge and 17 have decided to take up the offer so far.

Thirty sleds for the discipline, which the FIL are hoping will be added to the Winter Olympic programme for Beijing 2022, have been ordered by Member Associations.

Currently, the women’s doubles event is not one the of the FIL’s competitive disciplines, but it was added to the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games programme as part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) push for gender equality.

Women's doubles does not currently have a place on the Winter Olympic programme ©Getty Images
Women's doubles does not currently have a place on the Winter Olympic programme ©Getty Images

The governing body have also submitted men’s and women’s sprint events for consideration for the programme, along with doubles events for both.

A decision on new disciplines at Beijing 2022 is due to be made by the IOC during its Executive Board meeting beginning in Lausanne tomorrow.

Four luge events are currently part of the current Olympic programme - men’s and women’s singles, a doubles event for men and a mixed team competition, which made its debut at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang.

Competition at Beijing 2022 is set to take place at the Xiaohaituo bobsleigh and luge track, a new 5,000 capacity facility at the Yanqing Cluster in the capital city.