Following her arrest last month for driving under the influence, four-time Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton said she takes “full responsibility” for her actions.
“What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses,” she said in a statement to the Associated Press. “To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry. 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.”
On Tuesday, Retton entered a no contest plea to driving under the influence stemming from the May incident and was fined $100, a standard for first-time, non-aggravated offenses, her attorney Edmund J. Rollo told the outlet.
Retton was arrested in West Virginia on May 17 after police in Fairmont pulled her over following a report of a person driving a Porsche erratically. According to a criminal complaint, the former athlete smelled of alcohol, was slurring her words, and failed a field sobriety test. Officers also allegedly saw a wine container in the passenger seat.
Retton was charged with “driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs,” and released from custody after paying a $1,500 personal recognizance bond.
At 16, Retton became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Retton has been retired for more than 30 years, having left after winning the American Cup all-around competition for the third time in 1985.
In October 2023, the Dancing with the Stars alum was hospitalized in the ICU with a rare form of pneumonia. Retton previously detailed the severity of her illness in an interview with Today. “This is serious, and this is life, and I’m so grateful to be here. I am blessed to be here because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support,” Retton shared.
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