Le Saux: Beckham Called Me a Poof

In a new book to be published later this week, former English soccer player Graeme Le Saux accuses fellow soccer star and gay icon David Beckham of calling him a poof, even though he's not even gay.

Le Saux reveals in his book that he had to endure homophobic slurs being thrown at him from fellow soccer players and spectators throughout much of his career. Looking back, he says he endured the spirit-crushing experience of being the first "out" gay man in soccer, minus the sex. Le Saux is not gay.

"I could produce endless lists of players who threw a line at me about being gay, or entered into whatever level of homophobic abuse, but with him it made me stop and think, ‘Wow’, even somebody with his understanding doesn’t get it. I’m not pointing the finger at David – I don’t dislike him and I don’t think he has homophobic issues – but what he did says everything about the general culture of acceptance that exists towards homophobia in football," Le Saux writes.

A spokesman for David Beckham denies the accusations, "This allegation is completely untrue. David would never say such a thing. It’s been seven years since this match that Graeme refers to and he has never mentioned this to David personally or publicly. Given that they have known each other for many years after the event, it’s highly surprising to discover that this matter has now been raised but never before. While we appreciate Graeme has a book to sell, we refute these assertions completely."