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Blatter not assured of full Oceania backing: New Zealand

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Embattled FIFA President Sepp Blatter can no longer rely on iron-clad support from the Oceania Football Confederation with New Zealand reviewing its backing for the Swiss in his re-election bid. All 11 member nations of the OFC had pledged to back Blatter at their January congress in Papua New Guinea, but New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin cast doubt on the bloc's unity amid the unfolding corruption scandal. "It's every man for himself," Martin told New Zealand media from Zurich, where the vote was to be held later on Friday. "We have done very well under the current regime but that doesn't mean things can't change. "We have to assess the merits of both candidates. We are here trying to do the best we can for football in New Zealand. We are mindful we have to get this right." Blatter, who is running for a fifth term against Jordan's Prince Ali bin al Hussein, has ignored calls to stand down as FIFA reels from the arrests of seven high-ranking officials in Zurich on bribery charges at the request of U.S. authorities. He has already lost the support of Europe's governing body UEFA, while Australia, the United States and Canada have also said they would vote for Prince Ali. Martin, who said New Zealand could abstain from voting, added that he had met Prince Ali to hear his vision for the organization, though not Blatter, who withdrew from several public appearances before delivering the opening address. "We spoke with him (Prince Ali) at length," Martin said from Zurich, where the vote was to be held later on Friday. "We've had a lot of time with a lot of the countries tonight, with UEFA, Asia, Australia and the other members of OFC. "We've worked hard to get a very good sense of where everyone is this evening. There's a lot of frustration, confusion and people looking for clarity." (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Ian Ransom)