LONDON. Feb I: Germany s football association (DFB) still plan to visit Qatar next month following new FIFA guidelines aimed at avoiding any trace of scandal in the bid to stage the 2006. World Cup, reports Reuters.

The guidelines warn all oid-ding nations to reduce excessive lobbying and entertaining or -risk expulsion from the face to-stage world_ football’s most • ' prestigious event.

A (DFB) spokesman said officials planned to visit Mohamed Bin Hammam, a FIFA executive committee member from Qatar, in mid-February after advising FIFA of their trip.

"We have a plan for the full bid committee, including Franz Beckenbauer, to visit the FIFA member from Qatar in mid-February/' he said.

This will not change. FIFA recommendations or no FIFA recommendations. We are not doing anything that the others are not. Anyway. FIFA have been advised.'1

The FIFA guidelines are designed to try and restrict bidding nations from visiting the 24 individual members of the FIFA executive committee, the body which will decide where the 2006 World Cup is to be held, without advising FIFA first.

The spokesman said the German delegation was reviewing whether to leave any fights intended for their Qatar hosts at home.

"Against the background of the IOC we are taking a very careful stance on this question," the spokesman added.

"We are considering not taking anything that can be construed as more than a token gesture."

The guidelines also forbids campaigners from putting on bid displays at FIFA-organised events such as this year's World Youth Championships; fn; Nige-ria.