Erik Schinegger (born 19 June 1948) is an Austrian intersexual skier. He was the world champion women's downhill skier in 1966, at which time he was recognized as female and known as Erika Schinegger.[1]
Schinegger was born in Agsdorf, Carinthia, and raised as a girl. In 1967, as he was preparing for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, a medical test by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) determined that Schinegger was male, with internal male sex organs, and disqualified him. Schinegger ultimately decided to live as a man and transitioned, undergoing medical treatment and changing his name to Erik. He married and became a father.[2][3]
Together with Marco Schenz, Schinegger published an autobiography in 1988 titled Mein Sieg über mich. Der Mann, der Weltmeisterin wurde ("My Victory over Myself: The Man Who Became a Female World Champion"). He was also the subject of a 2005 documentary film by Kurt Mayer called Erik(A), with music by Olga Neuwirth.[4] In 1988, on a television show broadcast by the Austrian ORF network, Schinegger gave his 1966 gold medal to the second-place finisher, Marielle Goitschel.[5]
Erik Schinegger currently lives in the place of his birth and owns a children's ski school.[2]