David Beckham loses appeal to sue magazine after prostitute's claims he had sex with her are protected by freedom of speech laws

• Bosnian Irma Nici claimed she had sex with Beckham at Claridges Hotel in London
• But he proved he was in hospital visiting his sick father Ted, who had suffered a heart attack
• Footballer attempted to sue In Touch magazine for publishing her 'false claims'
  

David Beckham has lost an appeal to sue an American magazine over false claims he slept with a prostitute, because they are protected by US freedom of speech laws.

Bosnian Irma Nici had claimed she had sex with Beckham at Claridges Hotel in London but the 37-year-old star was able to show he was never at the hotel but at a hospital visiting his sick father Ted, who had suffered a heart attack.

Beckham, who was playing for US football club LA Galaxy at the time denied ever meeting Nici and sued In Touch magazine, which now accepts the story was untrue, for $25million in an LA court.

Anger: David Beckham leaves training with current club Paris Saint-Germain last week