Sky Sports News investigation finds only three female sport statues in UK

There are only three female sporting statues in the UK.

There are over 200 statues of sports people in the UK.

Dame Mary Peters, a two-time Wimbledon champion and former England footballer, are some of the achievements that have been recognised. Many others who have dominated their fields have not. Why is that happening?

The lack of female statues can be attributed to discrimination within specific sports, the headstart some men's sport has had in comparison to women's, and the cost to fund the statue sculpting.

Statue expert from TheSporting Statues Projects Dr Christopher Stride said that it was a combination of discrimination against women in sports over the years and the types of sports where they were most discriminated in.

Sky Sports News met with a female sports athlete who has a statue in the UK.

Dame Mary Peters won a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics.

I did four personal bests in the pentathlon, which has five events, and I won the summer 50 years ago. I don't know why I did that.

Mary Peters competing in the women's pentathlon

Dame Mary was honoured with a statue in her home city. Sir Sebastian Coe helped unveil the sculpture.

Statue of Dame Mary Peters at her track

The statue was created with podiums on either side of the figure, as it was seen overlooking the start of the track.

Dame Mary is a specialist in track and field, but she is aware of the talent on display in women's sport.

She said that women's sport used to be eight pages in the newspaper and four lines about it.

Dame Mary Peters is the only living female with a sports statue

Don't forget that women are good at sports as well, and let's honor the success and inspire the next generation to take up sport.

Peters was the only sportswoman knighted.

The statue of the English tennis player was unveiled in 2013.

Dorothy Round playing against fellow British tennis player Betty Nuthall at Wimbledon in 1936

Round won Wimbledon singles titles in 1934 and 1937, and the mixed doubles in 1934 and 1935/36.

The Black Country native was the first woman from overseas to win the Australian Open Tennis Championships in 1935 and is referred to as "A daughter of Dudley" by the town's Mayor Anne Millward.

Dorothy Round’s statue in Dudley

The statue can be found in her hometown of Dudley.

The sports that have the most statues are team sports, particularly football, according to Dr. Stride. Over the years, women have suffered the most discrimination in team sports.

Thierry Henry’s statue outside Emirates Stadium

In comparison to individual sports like tennis or athletics where women have been discriminated against, their involvement in team sports has diminished.

Around the world, half of the statues are of women. In sports where women have competed in their own tournament alongside men they are celebrated.

A statue depicting a female hockey player sits across from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto (Credit - Nathan Denette)

Where women get the chance to play the sport professionally they are just as likely to get a statue as men are, and it is their discrimination from the sports where they are more likely to get a statue count against them.

The cost of sculpting statues is a factor. The popularity of the athlete and the generosity of donors affect the rate at which funds are gathered.

Dame Mary spent a long time collecting money for the statue.

Steve Field, the designer of the Round statue, told Sky Sports News that the budget for the statue was from the Heritage Lottery Fund and that it wouldn't be enough today because of the cost of metal.

The focus of the Dudley Mayor is governing bodies.

She said to look at what your area has produced and be proud of those people and to access the funding to celebrate them.

The National Football Museum in Manchester has a statue of the pioneer of women's football.

With over 1,000 career goals and a part in the famous Dick, Kerr team, Parr is considered a pioneer.

Parr was known for having a harder shot than many male players.

She toured North America with the Dick, Kerr Ladies after the Football Association banned women from playing on their sports grounds.

The importance of statues in increasing curiosity and historical knowledge for the next generation was echoed by Kelly Smith.

Young girls can see the statues and research the sportswoman if they see them.

The chair of the Women's Equality committee said that male sports have had more prominence, and that it's not direct discrimination.

You have to work for it. In the same way I want to see a 50/50 parliament, I want to see 50 percent of our statues recognize female sporting achievement.