ROME - The head of the International Skating Union is defending a sponsorship deal with Korean Air that has led to an inquiry by the IOC ethics commission.

The International Olympic Committee is examining whether the deal breaches conflict of interest rules because of Korean Air's ties to Pyeongchang's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta is an IOC member and can vote for the 2018 host city.

"We're confident that we didn't do anything wrong," Cinquanta told The Associated Press on Friday from his office in Milan. "We dealt with the company and that's all.

"There isn't anything secret or anything wrong," he added. "I would understand if I had spoken with the (Korean) Olympic Committee and did something wrong, but that's not the case."

The South Korean city of Pyeongchang, which has lost out twice before, is bidding against Munich and the French town of Annecy for the Winter Games. The IOC will select the host city at its session in Durban, South Africa, on July 6, 2011.

The IOC is also examining a sponsorship deal between another Korean company, Samsung, and rowing's world governing body FISA. But the ISU is at greater risk because skating is a winter sport and Korean Air's chief executive, Cho Yang-ho, is head of Pyeongchang's Olympic bid.

"We never negotiated with him. Never," Cinquanta said. "Nobody from my federation - me, the general director, nor the vice president - negotiated with him."

Cinquanta acknowledged the deal was signed this year, which means it came after Pyeongchang was selected as one of the final three candidates. But he couldn't recall whether he was aware of Cho's status as bid leader when the deal was signed.

"It's very confusing. I'll tell you quite frankly that I really don't remember," Cinquanta said. "We've now gone through all the documents and this Mr. Cho never shows up. I never spoke with him about this."

Cinquanta added that he didn't accept even "one Lira" from Cho, referring to the country's former currency before converting to the euro.

"Look at all the international sporting events and the sponsors involved. If we take away the sponsors we'll be out of work," he said. "Sports survive on sponsorship."