FIFA presidential candidate Chung Mong-joon lambasted a reported investigation by football's governing body into payments made to Haiti and Pakistan as "cynical and unethical" on Wednesday.
The South Korean billionaire, who is bidding to replace Joseph Blatter as FIFA boss despite Michel Platini being the overwhelming favourite, said the money spent in 2010 was charitable donations to disaster relief funds in the countries.
"If these reports are true, we condemn this as a cynical and unethical effort by FIFA to misrepresent even charitable donations for political manipulation," a statement from Chung said.
FIFA and its ethics committee have made no comment on media reports of the probe.
Chung, whose wealth comes from the Hyundai conglomerate, has heavily criticised Blatter after FIFA was thrown into crisis by renewed allegations of corruption.
He has also said that European football chief Platini is too close to the status quo to be a credible alternative.
FIFA will hold a presidential election on Feb. 26 after Blatter announced in June he was standing down just days after re-election
