Otto Scheff, born Otto Sochaczewsky (December 12, 1889 – October 26, 1956) was an Austrian freestyle swimmer, water polo player, lawyer, politician, and sports official who competed in the 1906 Intercalated Games, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, and in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

[1][2] Scheff was born in Berlin, he was still at school in 1906 and it was only for the intervention of the Austrian Olympic Committee he was allowed three weeks leave to compete in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens.

[2] At those Games he competed in three events, first up was the 1 mile freestyle race, it was a straight final with Scheff coming in third for the bronze medal behind winner Henry Taylor and second place John Arthur Jarvis both from Great Britain,[3] three days later Scheff got revenge on the two British swimmers by winning the gold medal by two seconds in the 400 metre freestyle,[4] he was also part of the 4×250 metre freestyle relay team, but they didn't finish the race.

[8] At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm he participated in the water polo tournament as part of the Austrian team finishing in fourth place.

[10] His daughter Gertraud Scheff was already qualified for the 1940 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, when the games were cancelled.