Mary Lou Retton Reveals Abuse and Fat-Shaming Following 1984 Olympic Gold

by Nicholas Edwards · 19/07/2024

Los Angeles, Bollywood Fever: Mary Lou Retton, the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title during the 1984 Los Angeles games, has opened up about the severe abuse and fat-shaming she endured in the wake of her historic victory. Now 56, Retton’s achievements catapulted her to global fame, but her rise to stardom came with significant personal challenges.

Despite standing just 4 foot 9 and weighing 94 pounds, Retton revealed she was often labeled as “the fat one” within the gymnastics community. “I was considered a big girl. I was 4 foot 9 and 94 pounds. A big girl! But that’s what I was considered,” she told People. “It just hurts. It hurts to be called something that you’re not.”

Mary Lou Retton Reveals Abuse and Fat-Shaming Following 1984 Olympic Gold

Retton recounted the harsh criticisms she faced, with people telling her, “You are heavy. You’re fat. This is not what gymnastics is supposed to look like.” She was even compared to former football running back Earl Campbell, known for his large thighs, which was not meant as a compliment.

Reflecting on her past, Retton now takes immense pride in her physique, especially as she observes the strength and power of modern gymnasts like Simone Biles. “I am very, very exceptionally proud that I started that. I did, I started that in 1984. No one looked like me.”

Retton won five medals (one gold, two silver, two bronze) at the 1984 Summer Olympics, having begun training with the infamous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi four years earlier. She admitted to being starved and pressured to conform to the extremely thin standards of her Eastern European counterparts. Karolyi and his wife Marta, who have been accused of being verbally and emotionally abusive, ran a Texas ranch that was the site of sexual abuse by doctor Larry Nassar.

“Verbally, we were not abusive,” Marta Karolyi told Dateline NBC in 2018. “Emotionally, it depends on the person. You have to be a strong person to be able to handle the pressure.”

Retton’s health struggles continued last year when she was left “fighting for my life” in the ICU with a rare form of pneumonia. Her condition deteriorated to the point where her four daughters said their goodbyes, fearing she wouldn’t survive the night.

Following her recovery, Retton faced scrutiny over the $459,324 received in public donations, with questions arising about how the funds were spent. Her daughter McKenna stated that after paying medical bills, the family plans to donate any remaining funds to a charity of Retton’s choice.

Despite her miraculous recovery, Retton will not be traveling to Paris for this year’s Olympics as she is preparing to become a grandmother for the first time.

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