Paralympic Programs

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. Paralympics, a division of the nonprofit United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic Movement and promoting excellence in the lives of people with disabilities, including physical disabilities and visual impairments.

Since its formation in 2001, U.S. Paralympics has been inspiring Americans to achieve their dreams. Through relationships with hundreds of organizations across the country including National Governing Bodies, High Performance Management Organizations and adaptive sports organizations, U.S. Paralympics is making a difference in the lives of thousands of people with Paralympic-eligible impairments.



The USOPC is recognized as the National Paralympic Committee in the United States, as recognized by the International Paralympic Committee, and is one of only four organizations in the world to manage both Olympic and Paralympic sport at the national level – and the first to include the distinction in its official name and marks. U.S. Paralympics is responsible for elite sports programming including sending the U.S. Paralympic Team to the summer and winter Paralympic Games. U.S. Paralympics operates as the NGB for six sports: alpine skiing, cycling, Nordic skiing (biathlon and cross-country skiing), snowboarding, swimming and track and field.

Addressing an urgent need

Today, there are more than 21 million Americans with a physical disability, many who are eligible to compete in Paralympic sport. Over the past decade, thousands of military personnel have sustained serious injuries during active duty tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.



Research shows that daily physical activity enhances not only and individual's self-esteem and peer relationships but also results in increased achievement and better health, enabling a higher quality of life. However, despite these findings, most individuals with Paralympic-eligible impairments do not have the opportunity to participate in any regular sports activity.



Sport Development

Is your dream to wear red, white and blue? This is your chance to make that happen. Sport development supports the nationwide athlete identification and development strategy that introduces Americans with Paralympic-eligible impairments to Paralympic sport and leads them into the athlete pipeline for the U.S. Paralympic Team. Take your first step toward the podium by connect with adaptive sport programs in your community by visiting FindAClub.USParalympics.org.