A controversial charity is facing questions about its finances after it confirmed paying for its former chief executive to go on a trip to Brazil during the World Cup.

The Kiltwalk funded Carey McEvoy to go to South America for a sponsored fundraiser, but less than one third of the cash raised was given to designated charities.

The organisation is also under fire over rules that stop the money raised by its walkers from going to their favoured causes.

Set up in 2011, The Kiltwalk charity was aimed at raising millions for children's groups by staging huge walks across the country.

The main walk starts in Glasgow and ends at Loch Lomond, with this year's showpiece event taking place later this month.

Since its inception, the number of walkers has grown from 1,500 to 12,000, which has increased the cost of organising the event.

In recent months, the Kiltwalk has been under the spotlight over the amount of money making its way to the charities it officially supports.

The charity's total income in 2013 was £1.6m, but the sum doled out in grants came to around £783,000.

Some of the charity's partners have withdrawn as official partners and McEvoy recently stood down as chief executive.

In June last year, a team of fundraisers headed to Brazil to raise money for The Kiltwalk, which would then give grants to two charities: Aberlour; and A&M Training.

The trek finished in mid-June - at the height of the World Cup - and the charity paid for McEvoy to go on the event as its representative.

The Kiltwalk website said of the 7-day trek: "This summer the KiltTrek team set off for their Brazil jungle Trek. Though Scotland didnt [sic] qualify for the world cup rather than watch from our couches, the team at Kiltwalk HQ decided to commission a unique new charity challenge trek to Brazil. And so 25 Scots made it to the World Cup Finals!

"Our regular overseas challenge partner Really Wild Challenges came up trumps with an amazing 7 day trek through the rainforest, mountains and beaches, complete with free time in Rio to coincide with a group match at the Maracana!

"Highlights....included a visit to the World Heritage town of Paraty, watching the World Cup on TV with the locals at a different village every night and a final trek day celebration on a Schooner."

Of the £37,000 raised, around £11,000 was distributed to the two charities.

The rest was either swallowed up in covering the event's costs or retained by The Kiltwalk for its "general pot".

The funding formula for domestic Kiltwalk events has also attracted attention .

Teams of over 20 can nominate a charity to receive a Kiltwalk grant of up to 75% of the funds they raised, with the figure for teams between 5 and 19 being 50%.

The rest of the cash is shared between The Kiltwalk's own charity partners, once a share of running costs has been deducted.

However, teams of fewer than five members do not see any of their cash given to a charity of their choice.

The rules state: "If your team has less than 5 members, unfortunately your cause cannot receive a Kiltwalk Grant."

In March, Ally Hunter, the former chair of the Tartan Army Children's Charity, criticised The Kiltwalk:

"I'd like the charity regulators to look into why so little money is going to good causes and I've asked them to investigate.

"I have nothing but respect and admiration for the people raising the money, the Kiltwalkers. But I feel Kiltwalk has lost its direction."

The charity announced yesterday that it would be receiving advice from the Hunter Foundation, led by Sir Tom Hunter,

John Wilson, a Central Scotland MSP, said: "Any trips by charity staff must be seen to be proportionate and relate to a direct need to attend events being held overseas. Likewise any costs associated with travel and other costs must not be disproportionate to the amount the venture is raising for the charity.

"The travel cost to visit Brazil at the time of the World Cup would have been higher than at any other time and therefore questions have to answered about undertaking a fundraising event at that time."

McEvoy said he did not attend any World Cup matches and said: "It is standard practice within all charities to participate in overseas treks, to send a representative. I was the representative that went on the Brazil trek."

On the under-five rule, he said: "If it's less than five, it's not a team. If it's less than five, they are individuals or friends taking part to support the charity partners for that specific event."

A spokesperson for The Kiltwalk said: "Two Kiltwalk employees attended the event last year. One was a participant and raised the full amount. Our CEO went as the charity rep and therefore the Kiltwalk paid for the cost. This is common practice for charities to send a member of staff to represent the charity, that member also provides fundraising support prior to the events."