David Beckham recalls sexual hazing as a teen soccer player

LONDON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- British soccer star David Beckham says he was subjected to sexual abuse as part of a hazing incident when he was an up and coming start of the sport.

Beckham said in a new documentary on his career he was subjected to a ritual with strong homoerotic undertones when he joined the storied Manchester United youth team in 1991. He said he was forced to perform a sex act in front of his teammates while he looked at a picture of Welsh soccer star Clayton Blackmore.

"Everyone had an initiation that you had to go through on the youth team, that was one of the most uncomfortable ones," Beckham said.

The New York Post said Beckham recalled the incident in the documentary "The Class of 92," which airs in Britain Sunday.

"I was embarrassed when I was saying it on camera let alone talking about it more," Beckham said. "But it's something that we all had to go through. It was definitely something I wouldn't like to go through again."

Beckham, 38, was 16 at the time of the hazing incident, TMZ said.