New Delhi: In what amounts to a setback for Nehru Cup 2009, key participant Thailand decided to stay away from the six-nation tournament beginning here from August 19.

According to All India Football Federation (AIFF) sources, Thailand, placed 117 in the Fifa rankings, will now be replaced by Palestine who are 177th on the Fifa table.

The other teams in the competition are Syria (No.95), Lebanon (No.148), Kyrgyzstan (No.160), Sri Lanka and hosts India, who are tied for the 156th in the latest Fifa rankings released Wednesday.

Although AIFF was keen to get Thailand, one of the better teams in the vicinity, the plan had to be abandoned after Thailand decided against sending their national team.

Their offer to field the under-21 team was rejected by the federation.

The winners of the Nehru Cup will receive a cash award of $40,000 and the runners-up will be richer by $20,000. The team finishing third will get $10,000.

The tournament sponsor, ONGC, has also decided to announce a daily cash award of $500 for the winners of each match from the group league stage and $300 for the Man of the Match.

The AIFF is also planning to stage a biennial international tournament for women, according to a media release.

Recently, the Indian women’s team was knocked off the Fifa rankings list due to inactivity.

It is also believed that in the women’s committee meeting of the AIFF on Tuesday, president in-charge Praful Patel suggested it would be appropriate to organise a Federation Cup for women.

The meeting also constituted a new ad hoc committee for women besides deciding to hold the women’s Senior National Championships 2009-10 in Manipur in January of next year.

Former India international Shanti Mullick of Bengal has been named chairperson of the selection committee.