Olympic Hero Mary Lou Retton Speaks Out After DUI Arrest

Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, 57, has broken her silence after being arrested on a DUI charge May 17.

Retton told People magazine in a statement, "I take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses. To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry."

She continued, “I am determined to learn and grow from this experience, and I am committed to making positive changes in my life. I truly appreciate your concern, encouragement and continued support.”

According to People, the1984 gold medalist appeared in court Tuesday and entered a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge. She was fined $100.

WDTV previously reported that Retton was arrested in West Virginia in May after allegedly driving erratically.

Court docs obtained by the news station state that police received calls of a Porsche driving “all over the roadway” toward Fairmont.

Officers reportedly located Retton in an AutoZone parking lot with screw-top bottle of wine in the passenger seat. They noted she smelled of alcohol and was slurring her words.

The docs claim that Mary Lou failed three field sobriety tests and refused to have her blood tested for alcohol.

She was arrested for "driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs; penalties."

The arrest comes after Retton was hospitalized in the ICU with a rare form of pneumonia in October 2023.

In July 2024, the former athlete spoke about her recovery to People, saying, “It’s been really hard. My lungs are so scarred. It will be a lifetime of recovery. My physicality was the only thing I had, and it was taken away from me. It’s embarrassing."