Mary Lou Retton Opens Up About The Larry Nassar Scandal: 'We Were Lied To' | Access 

My childhood hero has fallen... When MaryLou said, the girls felt like they couldn't speak up - and to me - that's one of the worst things. The gymnasts DID speak up to members of USA Gymnastics - literally to her as she was on the Board and they buried the reports. AND Retton lobbied to limit victims' rights afterwards to protect USA Gymnastics. I will never forgive her for that alone. It's not just Nassar who is responsible for the abuse. All board members of USA Gymnastics are responsible as well.

Yet she tried to stop a bill which would criminalize organizations like USA Gymnastics for failing to report sexual abuse to the authorities.

Sorry but Mary Lou is full of it. She knew, they all knew.

One monster? The Karolyi's got away away with emotional and physical abuse of children.

They knew. She knew. Everyone knew. Honestly, she's at fault too. Shame on her.

"We were lied to." No, she continued to lie to cover up USA Gymnastics' complicity. She was part of that complicity. It is beyond sad that she betrayed young gymnasts.

I feel like she's mad that all of this came out - and did NOT like the image of the many women who were abused coming together. Does anyone else get that vibe?

USA gymnastics have not reached out to Aly or Simone!!!!! DISGUSTING

She just admitted that Steve Penny flat out LIED to the rest of the board about Nassar!!!

When she said one person brought usa down...I don't agree with that...there are many who brought usa gymnastics down

Why are they giggling so much!

There wasn’t just one bad actor, Mary Lou. That’s kind of the point. Talk about Bela!!!!

"We were lied to." You sat on the board with Steve Penny and it was the board's responsibility to provide oversight. Mary Lou, you will answer to God for your continued inaction over an 8 year period of being on the board of USAG. Change your eternal destiny by speaking out after all of these continued lies.

I think Mary Lou failed miserably. I think she endured it as well and did not make the changes needed. Just does not seem sincere

I don’t believe her. The board knew it! They all knew

She is a villain in this entire shitshow.

"first gold for the u.s." -- it kinda helped that the soviet bloc countries weren't participating

These people should be ashamed of themselves. Sick.

It’s disgusting that she responds focusing on the future of the sport rather than the horror these young girls have endured!

One 👹?! OH NO MARY LOU. HOW ABOUT THE COACHES AT THE RANCH?

Really Bro. You can go ahead and hit those 2 buttons on that shirt

Wow!!! 1. The first 1 minute and around 20 second she acts normal. 2. They are talking sexual abuse 3. New topic, and she immediately shifts into LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY ALL THROUGH the rest of the interview. Something is COMPLETELY off here!!

I'm glad she's finally admitting that something actually happened

Mary Lou Retton lied. She was on the board of USA gymnastics. No way she did not know

What a hypocrite

MaryLou and Larry Nassar were engaged to be wed several years ago. Nassar backed away and left MaryLou in tears. He was such a mean man

Why did these hosts not press her on this issue more? Why does the media protect her?

Parents need to teach their kids how to tell. That it's ok to tell. Untill then it will keep happening!

I love when she said her 16 year old daughter who is Emma but instead of showing her they showed her daughter makenna who’s in college 😂 idk I just found it funny 😆

Too little too late, you were part of the delegation that claimed nothing was happening at the Karolyi ranch. You should be ashamed of yourself for keeping silent.

Ecaterina Szabo got robbed

It's not one monster who brought down the sport....... it's 100's!!!! And it's disgusting and all these people should be investigated

Dominique Moceanu along with Aly Raisman for Head of Gymnastics USA! ASAP!!!

Let's be honest....No one would even know who Mary Lou was if the whole eastern block didn't ban the 1984 Olympics. All the best gymnasts in the world were from those countries.

MTV's Road Rules of 1995. Kit Hoover. I remember that face after all of these years. She has a very rememberable face.

She doesn't talk about any abuse from the Koralies.

“We were lied to.” You were Steve Penny’s wing woman for most of those 8 years on the board. Come on, Mary Lou, I love you, but really?

Let’s pump the breaks, she won at a boycotted olympics. Ugh.

Mary Lou were you abused? I’m sure she has a story. One day she’ll tell us. We were lied to.

So basically ML is saying it doesn't matter who is on the freaking board....because anyone on it can be "lied to"

Reston has forever stained herself.....shame on her

Never did care much for this gymnast. Never should be compared to greats such as Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci...and I do not believe that she never knew what was happening!

Can the guy button up his shirt? That's gross

I have no respect for this woman anymore. She represents everything wrong with the sport -- she promoted the abuse of children for decades, constantly defending a man who forced a 14yo girl to JUMP ON HER BROKEN LEG FOR 8hrs/DAY, and even now she doesn't care for the victims at all. . just all her cronies who are being called out for the rape-defenders they are. SHAME ON YOU MARY LOU! SHAME SHAME SHAME SHAME.

Mary Lou always respected the Karolyis, but I always got the sense that she was uncomfortable with Béla. Being one of the first American gymnasts (and the first to win all around gold at the Olympics) to train at their gym, I bet she has stories to tell. But like several people before the #MeToo movement, she kept quiet.

Someday she’ll come out with the truth and write a book about it and get millions. She was abused too she’ll tell us and that she was in denial

She avoided and changed the conversation....ao not to talk about what happened to the girls and focused on what will happen to her position .....very sad and disappointing....she did not once mention the situation ....about what that man did and all the responsability that comes with it but of what is going to happen to the sport and her plans of being apart. She is clearly scated and worried about her position.. did it happen to her too?

I remember him just starting out with the pro athlete gymnasts; he was was not "known" yet, but he was in that team of doctors surrounding Kerri Strug in '96. Knowing now; I cannot imagine....I do not want to. Just seeing him all around Strug's stretcher at the Olympics totally freaks me out (I still watch it|). As far as Marylou........this is all new news to me. I had no idea she knew anything, I never did full research on anyone who had been aware. That will be my next step, and come to my own conclusions. It's always of interest to read what others write!! It is 2024, blessing everyone if watching a wonderful rest-of-your-summer!! 💜

I pray you get well Mary Lou, we are rooting for you!!!!

Mary Lou, you will always be a champion!!😊👍🙏

I loved MLR as a kid. I had all of her little workout records, gymnastics gear everything. Never thought I would be so effing disappointed in her. I just find her obvious deflection disconcerting and fake. You were on the board young lady and blaming the girls for "not coming to you". I highly suggest you take some time to work with DV, abuse and rape victims. It is *not* about you dear! Supporting the denial of a billl for sex victims rights to be protected in the future with proper recourse... down right shameful. If I were in front of you today I would turn my back on you with disdain and disgust. You just betrayed every young woman you supposedly mentored around the world. Hope you are proud of yourself dear. Thanks for ruining my childhood memories. I just tossed all of my own trophies in the trash. Frack it.

It's easy for people to critizice. But Mary lou doesn't deserve that. She is great she'll always be.

She looks older than 50.

Was so rampant back then and its true..nobody dare speak of it or they would get blamed. .

"We were lied to." No, you plugged your ears and hummed The National Anthem really loud. The fact you continue to worry more about USA Gymnastics than the safety of innocent girls speaks volumes.

I can't help but cry. 😢

Ekaterina Szabo should have won the all around in 1984. The only reason MLR won is because it took place in the USA.

I think it will be interesting to see how she dances. Many gymnasts have faired well on the show.

Will it happen again? Probably yes given the empty duck and cover aditude; I don't know... and so on and so on! This is becoming a festering wound and the doctor wants to lance it with his fingers. Time to call the A team and that's certainly not these drunk on fame celebrity capped teeth athletes. Sorry Mary Lou but you deserve it ....

So interesting to see all these armchair quarterbacks talking about how to run a Board of Directors as if they are suddenly experts on everything. The internet is alive and well.

Why didn't ANY of those girls feel like they could talk to her?

Let’s NEVER FORGET, that Retton is who she is because the Russians didn’t show up. It’s easy to win big when your opponents are not present.

Never liked her

I remember Mary Lou, it was huge when she kicked butt at the Olympics. I remember that other girl there when she starred as one of the participants in probably one of the first reality TV shows aired. I can not remember the name. I remember she visited a nudist camp and she was a good sport and supposedly got in the hot tub with this old big man. He really had to talk to get her to take oof her clothes and get into the hot tub with him. That must have been twenty years ago.

Do not be confused, the patriarchal dynamic means that all the people around a situation of gender-based violence are not aware and are involuntary accomplices. The responsibility lies with the rapist and with the people who allow the violence directly. I work with teachers in the prevention of violence and it is very common that they do not know what to do, they do not know the protocols or they feel helpless in such a situation.The context in each specific situation is important.

Idk WHAT she did to her face, but she looks awful.

Mary Lou Retton has not changed much. She looks great.

Biles should watch this

what a fantastic Lady love her...

She looks like a young Julie Andrews sort of..... Julie Andrews back in the 60s maybe, LOL

She’s a gymnastic stepford wife. I will never forgive her.

The box is probably as stale as hers is

I hope Gabby Douglas is next for Dancing with the Stars!

I’ve met Mary Lou Retton. I’m not liking her now. Why is she laughing and smiling? That’s a sign of covering up! 😡

What is up with his “Unbuttoned” shirt. 😳😵‍💫😳 I guess that’s how they do it in his Country Whooo Hooo go ahead, show it off ✨🌟💫

I'm with Mattie Larson-(To Larry Nassar) "How much I f****** hate you!"

There are perverts everywhere, and to pretend otherwise at this point is just ignorant. The world is a dangerous and disgusting place. So many people assume that they know and can trust people, but the truth is you can't trust anybody, especially when it comes to who has access to your children.

Mary Lou , so good to see you. One of the best personalities in gymnastics!

To be a gymnasts at an olympic level training from a young age, you need two things: to have the strong will, desire to be the best but also to be capable to do the though work. So yeah..it can feel abusive that you have to starve yourself not to gain weight, to be always disciplined and do the programme. Of course your couch will find ways to motivate you and challenge you...or you will give up and sacrificed for nothing. Only the strong willed and hardworking will become the best. Of course..sexual abuse is not part of the training. I don t know the details of it, but I do believe that most of the gymnasts were too young to know exactly what was happening to them. I don t believe that the Karolyis knew or anybody else. But my question is: ok...your coach doesn t believe you or doesn t want to hear it...but how about your parents? Aren't they supposed to be the closest persons to you...to be able to tell all? Didn t they want to hear it? Or didn t they believe their own children? Or..maybe they let it go for the sake of the glory? I mean...I would first speak to my mom about it..she is supposed to be the one always available to listen to me, the one who knows me very well and can tell if I lie about it or not and the one who should preotect me! What did their parents do?

I know little about the topic, so I turned off this video after a minute. I wish her to DO GOOD NOW.

Mary Lou, SHAME ON YOU. Bella turned you into his robot too. Can't you see that only a person with no soul would back a bill like that.

1984 was a completely different era. Now we see many, many women speaking out but in the past everywhere we went we were harassed and were counseled to put up with it. Even now- Bill Cosby gets convicted and spends very little time behind bars. The Boys will be boys was in full swing back then. I know of no women who worked temp as I did then who weren't harassed or assaulted. Remember Anita Hill? She was so courageous but we have had Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court for decades now.

Who's the guy in the lounge lizard get up?

Shawn Johnson east

I'm watching this late but this is a pretty sick interview. MLR is saying she doesn't know about what the "state of gymnastics" will be in the future as if the previous state was perfectly fine. She could have used her platform to speak to operating with dignity and respect in the future. To train hard but to still value the young athletes. MLR, it is possible for the system to operate in a culture that is not degrading or criminal. It's time to value the athletes and not put the organization above their well-being.

So many weird comments here. She was a great gymnast and is an amazing person.

Honestly, I know she won it by a TINY margin that could have gone either way. She also didn’t have a lot of competition at that Olympics. Let’s be real. The only reason she has had staying power is because people gravitate towards her personality. That’s it. And now she just seems clueless about what is going on in the world today. So disappointing.

Mary Lou is a Legend:) love love love her:)

My mother made me have that hairdo too many times because I had thick hair, I had the Bobb 2 and the Dorothy Hamill. She never let me have my hair long till I got old enough and moved out of the house congratulations on your Wheaties box have you thought about growing your hair long just to see what it would look like on the box congratulations

Who is the clown with the open shirt?

A millionaire living in Houston's prestigious mega mansions on Memorial Drive. Hmmm. When my parents were ill and had no money or Medicare was exhausted they were out. Yet here's a millionaire begging common working folks for money.

Why did the gals not nip.it in the bud right from.the start

HEY HO AND AWAY WE GO!😢😂😅

I love his accent

Was this Dr using questionable medicines, injections and this is why people looked other way? Did he inject coaches too?

I use to watch her when I was a kid she looks amazing

Dude, button up your shirt. Ewww

She should not be anywhere near the board.

Shame on you Retton

Love her, such an amazing spirit! -Jeremy