Venus Williams is stunned 45 per cent of girls are dropping out of sports over body confidence issues

She told People at the Flag Football for Change: Dove x Sports Legends Venus Williams and Steve Young event in Las Vegas during the Super Bowl weekend: "I had no idea some of the statistics of girls dropping out of sports. "Forty-five percent of girls globally - because of body confidence issues - drop out (of sports) before the age of 14.

"I didn't think those numbers existed anymore. So hearing that was very sobering."

Venus added she wants her fans to know she's on "team body confidence", stressing: "We need women in sports."

She said: "I know what sports (have) done for me, not only for a career, let's not even talk about that, but for feeling confident.

"When you score a goal, when you achieve something, when you put the work in and you get there, there's no feeling like it."

Venus added her participation in tennis helped her to "achieve that sort of confidence and belief" in herself, adding: It's huge. And I don't think anything teaches that as well as sports."

The athlete said maintaining a healthy level of confidence "helps you to shift your focus", adding it is "what girls need".

Opening up about her work as a flag football coach in conjunction with Dove, Venus said she hopes to inspire those involved with "my experience in sports and in life and my story and even my career".

She said: "I think the language of sport is universal. It's the same language, even if it's a different sport."