KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar will vie for the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president's post at its annual general assembly in Saint Kitts and Nevis from Nov 11 to 13.
OCM honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said a majority of Asian countries in the CGF have agreed to back Tunku Imran's candidacy.
"In fact, if Tunku Imran wins, he will become the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) member elected as the CGF president, which will give a new height to the federation," he told Bernama, here Thursday.
Sieh said to date, Tunku Imran, 63, was the sole candidate vying for the post since incumbent Michael Fennel from Jamaica had voiced his intention to step-down if there was a suitable candidate to replace him.
"Fennel had voiced his intention to step down after the New Delhi Commonwealth Games last year, after holding the post for 17 years," he said.
The Jamaican was first elected to lead the federation at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.
Fennell served as chairman until 2003 and then as president after the post was renamed.
Sieh said the formal announcement for Tunku Imran's candidacy would be made during the CGF Executive Board Meeting, here from May 9 to 10.
"As for OCM, we hope that the federation, made up of 71 members of the former British empire, will unanimously support Tuanku Imran," he said.
Tunku Imran, the national squash champion in 1973, had served as the president of the International Squash Rackets Federation from 1989 to 1996.
OCM honorary secretary Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said a majority of Asian countries in the CGF have agreed to back Tunku Imran's candidacy.
"In fact, if Tunku Imran wins, he will become the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) member elected as the CGF president, which will give a new height to the federation," he told Bernama, here Thursday.
Sieh said to date, Tunku Imran, 63, was the sole candidate vying for the post since incumbent Michael Fennel from Jamaica had voiced his intention to step-down if there was a suitable candidate to replace him.
"Fennel had voiced his intention to step down after the New Delhi Commonwealth Games last year, after holding the post for 17 years," he said.
The Jamaican was first elected to lead the federation at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.
Fennell served as chairman until 2003 and then as president after the post was renamed.
Sieh said the formal announcement for Tunku Imran's candidacy would be made during the CGF Executive Board Meeting, here from May 9 to 10.
"As for OCM, we hope that the federation, made up of 71 members of the former British empire, will unanimously support Tuanku Imran," he said.
Tunku Imran, the national squash champion in 1973, had served as the president of the International Squash Rackets Federation from 1989 to 1996.
-- BERNAMA
