David Beckham doesn't want Olympic torch job

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LONDON, July 13 (UPI) -- Soccer star David Beckham said he does not want the role of the Olympic flame lighter in London, saying the honor should go to a British Olympian.

Beckham, who was not chosen to play on Stuart Pearce's Olympic soccer team, said he will perform as an Olympic ambassador for Britain, but he does not want the role of lighting the torch at the opening of the Games July 27, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"I've always said, lighting the torch in the stadium is something that should be done by an Olympian ... who has done incredible things for our country and won gold medals," he said. "I'm sure whoever decides that, it will be an Olympian, but we'll have to wait and see."

Beckham said he was disappointed by Pearce's decision not to pick him for the British team.

"Obviously, all the talk of me possibly performing in the Olympics, it would have been a very proud moment for me," he said. "Everyone knows how proud I am of representing my country and to do it in my home town on such a big stage would have been incredible so, of course, I'm disappointed, but life goes on."

"My family are healthy, I'm pretty healthy, so at the end of the day, I'll be there to support the GB team," Beckham said. "It's going to be a proud moment to be there and know that I was part of bringing the Olympics to the East End of London."