David Beckham has suggested he is not the right man to light the Olympic flame to officially open the London Games, saying on Thursday the honour should go to an Olympian who has won gold medals.
Admitting his disappointment at failing to make Britain's Olympic soccer squad, Beckham took himself out of the running for one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed on a sportsman or woman but offered no hint as to who should have the job of lighting the cauldron on July 27.
"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," Beckham told reporters during an interview in Los Angeles.
After the decision to leave Beckham out of the Team GB soccer squad was announced, the odds on the Los Angeles Galaxy player lighting the Olympic cauldron were slashed with British bookmakers Ladbrokes quoting 5/1 at the time.
Published 13 July 2012, 18:02 IST