Disabled skiing started in pre-World War II Europe and is now highly developed throughout the world. Disabled skiing involves persons with mobility impairments, including, amputees, paraplegics, post-polio, and individuals with visual impairments, even total blindness.

Skiing for the disabled began as a rehabilitation/recreation program that evolved into well organized national and international competitions with corresponding organizations to administer the sport. Elite level racing for disabled skiers has existed in the states since 1972 and internationally since 1974.

The U.S. Disabled Ski Team (USDST) has been an integrated part of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association structure since 1986. The USSA Committee for Disabled Skiers functions to provide guidance and make policy recommendations concerning the USDST and disabled skiing in general. In addition to these USSA committees, the USOC Committee on Sports for the Disabled also has input to the USDST.

Within the USDST structure is an Alpine and Cross Country staff to administer these respective teams of the USDST. In addition to the above mention USSA committees there also are selection criteria review committees for the specific purpose of overseeing team selection criteria as prepared by USDST coaches and staff. These committees also act in case of any grievance to the team selection process. There is an alpine, cross country and executive review committee. The alpine and cross country review committees are comprised of USSA, Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA) and U.S. Association for Blind Athletes (USABA) staff representatives. The executive review committee consists of the CEO and athletic director of USSA, and the disabled team alpine and nordic head coaches.

Internationally, disabled skiing is under the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) for World Championships and Paralympic Games. In May 1994 the FIS voted unanimously to accept disabled skiing into the FIS family. Effective September 1998 F.I S. formerly accepted alpine Disabled World Cup circuit and created a subcommittee for Disabled alpine World Cup Skiing. Disabled skiing was an exhibition sport in the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympic Games and while the Paralympic Games are in place, expectations remain high that disabled skiing will eventually be on the Olympic Calendar.