The Briton, 30, who competed at four Games and was third at Beijing in 2008,, external will become GB Taekwondo’s first-ever female high performance coach.
“Retiring was a difficult decision,” Stevenson, who became a world champion in 2011 but has struggled with injuries in recent years, told BBC Sport.
“I wanted a break after the Olympics to see if I missed it. I didn’t and I don’t want to fight again.”
The Doncaster-born fighter hit the headlines after successfully appealing a controversial elimination and overcoming a serious ankle injury to claim Great Britain’s first-ever taekwondo Olympic medal in China in 2008.
She then claimed an emotional victory at the 2011 World Championships in South Korea.
Just months earlier, both her mother, Diana, and father, Roy, had been diagnosed with terminal illnesses.
“The last two years have clearly had a massive impact on my life and the taekwondo family knew what I came through to win at the 2011 worlds, which has to make it one of my biggest highlights,” said Stevenson, who made her Olympic debut at Sydney 2000.
Stevenson was named the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year in 2011 and was chosen by her fellow Team GB squad members to read the athlete’s oath during the London Olympic opening ceremony last year.
Stevenson had suffered cruciate knee ligament damage nine months before the Games but battled back to fitness in time to compete.
