SEOUL • South Korean Fifa presidential candidate Chung Mong Joon yesterday accused the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of "election fraud" in backing rival candidate Michel Platini.

Chung said the AFC, whose president Sheikh Salman Ibrahim Al Khalifa has publicly supported Platini, had sent "unsolicited" letters to almost every AFC member association except South Korea and Jordan, to win their support for Platini.

Jordan's Prince Ali Hussein is also in the race to succeed Sepp Blatter as the head of football's world governing body.

"It is an obvious case of election fraud infringing on the basic rights of other presidential candidates," Chung told reporters in Seoul.

He urged Fifa to probe those involved in the case, including Sheikh Salman and Platini. The latter, considered the front-runner in the race for the presidency, has secured public support from key national federations and regional confederations.

Chung claimed that Sheikh Salman and Platini were taking advantage of their status as AFC and Uefa presidents respectively by seeking to influence the election process.

As evidence, Chung presented copies of a form letter, to be filled in by national football federations, expressing support for Platini and addressed to Fifa's secretary-general.

Meanwhile, former Nigerian footballer Segun Odegbami has announced his bid to succeed Blatter, who has said he will stand down when the election is held on Feb 26.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS