A Qatari man who is a key contender for the top job in world football is being accused of offering bribes for votes.
Mohamed bin Hammam is the head of the Asian Football Confederation, which includes Australia, and is the only challenger to the current president, Sepp Blatter.
The whistleblower is fellow FIFA executive committee member.
Michael Atkin has more.
MICHAEL ATKIN: The battle for the top job in the world game has turned nasty.
With the vote for the FIFA presidency just days away, the only challenger Mohamed bin Hammam has been ordered to face a FIFA ethics hearing over alleged bribery.
Bin Hammam denies the allegations in a statement posted on his website.
EXTRACT FROM STATEMENT BY MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM (voiceover): This has been a difficult and painful day for me today but, if there is even the slightest justice in the world, these allegations will vanish in the wind.
This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election.
I am confident that there is no charge to answer.
MICHAEL ATKIN: Bin Hammam is in the middle of a contest to stop Sepp Blatter being re-elected president for a fourth consecutive term. But his appearance at the ethics hearing just three days before the presidential vote will have a serious impact on his bid.
Andy Harper is a football commentator with Fox Sports.
He says whether or not the allegations are proven, he believes that the timing is politically motivated.
ANDY HARPER: My first reaction is things must be getting tight for Sepp Blatter who up until this point I think had enough votes tucked away for the upcoming election for the FIFA presidency and I can only assume that his counting is starting to tell him that he is in a bit of trouble and he is looking euthanize his one and only opponent.
MICHAEL ATKIN: So you think the presidential vote might be a real contest and so this is part of the manoeuvring behind the scenes?
ANDY HARPER: I think it is beyond question.
MICHAEL ATKIN: The former head of the England Football Association David Davies believes the investigation into Bin Hammam's actions should be taken out of FIFA's hands. He has also questioned whether the presidential vote can continue.
DAVID DAVIES: It is very difficult to see how allegations or smears as serious as this can be properly investigated and decided upon in a matter of days or hours next Sunday as appears to be the intention.
MICHAEL ATKIN: FIFA is also currently looking into another bribery scandal involving allegations that some of its members sought bribes from the UK to support its bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Sepp Blatter has refused to appear in front of a UK parliamentary inquiry into the 2018 bidding process.
Andy Harper says FIFA is tearing itself apart with close allies becoming enemies.
ANDY HARPER: Unfortunately, there is enormous mud flying around. The family are split. These over time have been very close people.
You know, Bin Hammam was a key organiser for Blatter's election campaigns in '98 and 2002. That relationship has been torched. Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner have been brothers-in-arms for a long time. That seems to have been torn asunder as well.
This is a family at war with itself and I tell you what, as far as sub-diffusion is concerned, you couldn't sit down with a blank piece of paper and come up with a more intriguing story.
ELEANOR HALL: That's Fox Sports football commentator Andy Harper ending that report by Michael Atkin.
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