DAVID Beckham’s charitable image has taken another battering after claims that he posed for his own advantage with a Amazon tribal leader, then later snubbed him.
Beckham was happy to meet and be pictured shaking hands with Yanomami tribal chief Davi Kopenawa for his TV documentary in 2014.
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David Beckham pictured with Amazon tribal leader Davi Kopenawa
He told the shaman — the tribe’s spiritual guru — that as he had “made him welcome in his community he should come and visit him in his community”.
But when Davi arrived in London months later, Beckham could not be bothered to meet up, it was claimed.
Davi, nicknamed the Dalai Lama of the rainforest, met the football star as part of a documentary before the 2014 World Cup called David Beckham: Into the Unknown.
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The pair met for a 2014 documentary
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Davi was nicknamed the Dalai Lama of the rainforestCredit: Getty Images
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However, when he arrived in London months later Beckham ‘could not be bothered to meet up’Credit: Getty Images
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The footie star has come under fire for a series of leaked emailsCredit: Getty Images
Sources close to charity Survival International have told The Sun: “When Beckham went to the Amazon it was all smiles and handshakes.
“He told Davi he should visit his community in London. But when Davi came to London and calls were put into Beckham’s management team it seemed a different story.”
In the show, Beckham, 41, rode 800 miles into the Brazilian rainforest to meet the tribe who had no idea who he was.
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He attempted to use his charity work with Unicef to get a knighthoodCredit: PA:Press Association
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Beckham compared himself to Audrey Hepburn and also ‘grovelled to the Queen to improve his chances’Credit: PA:Press Association
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Beckham pictured after a youth event at Buckingham Palace
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He left a series of Instagram messages for the Queen
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Becks was meant to receive a knighthood in 2014 until a last minute intervention from HMRCCredit: PA:Press Association Wire
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The former England star said the messages gave a deliberately inaccurate pictureCredit: PA:Press Association
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A police probe has since been launched into the leaked emailsCredit: PA:Press Association
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The Sun’s front page on Beckileaks
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Beckham pictured with his daughter Harper after the email scandalCredit: Instagram / brooklynbeckham
He was seen giving piggy back rides and kicking a football with the tribe who live deep in the jungle and have no phones or Internet.
A spokesman for Beckham said: “David enjoyed meeting and spending time with Davi when he was in Brazil filming his documentary.
“Sadly he was unable to meet him again when Davi visited London due to a previous diary commitment.”
