Basseterre (St. Kitts), Nov 12 (IANS/CMC): Malaysian HRH Tunku Imran has been elected the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president following the retirement of long-serving Jamaican Mike Fennell earlier this year.

Imran, president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member since 2006, served as the Federation's Vice President for 11 years and currently chairs its Sports Committee.

He was formally elected at the ongoing CGF general assembly here in St Kitts.

Fennell served as CGF president for 17 years before announcing his retirement last August.

"I am absolutely delighted, and proud, to be the seventh president of the Commonwealth Games Federation," Imran said.

"Mike Fennell is going to be a very hard act to follow, but we have a strong board, and a clear vision and strategy for the future of the Games.

"I am now looking forward to getting stuck in and building on Mike's legacy and our strengths to make these great Games even better."

Fennell, who oversaw the Games in Kuala Lumpur (1998), Manchester (2002), Melbourne (2006) and Delhi (2010), has come to be regarded as an outstanding administrator.

Last year's Games, however, was shrouded in controversy and the preparations for the event was marred with foul ups.

He will now become a Life Vice President of the CGF.

St Lucia's Fortuna Belrose was elected as vice-president for the Caribbean while Guyana's Kalam Azad Juman-Yassin takes on the responsibility for the Americas.

The highlight of the general assembly here will be the announcement of the hosts for the 2018 Games. Australia's Gold Coast and Sri Lanka's Hambantota are the two candidate cities.

Glasgow, Scotland will stage the 2014 Games.