The vote, held at the OCM annual meeting, was uncontested and is a boost for squash as it tries to win a place in the Olympic programme for 2016.

 

The 61-year-old Prince, the patron of the World Squash Federation (WSF), has a notable pedigree, both on the squash court and within the world of sport as a whole.

 

He was Malaysian squash champion in 1973 and went on to be President of the WSF from 1989-1996 and Emeritus President from 1996-2002.

 

He is a member of the management board of the National Sports Council of Malaysia, and founding chairman of the Foundation for Malaysian Sporting Excellence.

 

Prince Tunku Imran, who was educated at Nottingham University and qualified as a barrister at Gray's Inn, was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2006.

 

Furthermore, he is a vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation and played a leading role in squash making its debut in the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

 

His re-appointment as President of the OCM comes just a couple of weeks before he leads the Squash 2016 bid presentation to the IOC's ruling Executive Board in Lausanne on June 15.

N Ramachandran, the President of the WSF, said: “I’m delighted that yet again the Olympic Council of Malaysia has shown its faith in Prince Tunku Imran, and I know he will do a great job for them.

 

"He is passionate about sport in his country, and a great ambassador for squash the world over.

 

"Squash is going through an exciting process at the moment, bidding to be an Olympic sport, and ensuring that it is in the best possible shape to take on that challenge.

 

"The support of His Royal Highness is invaluable to us, and we look forward to the next stage of the process on June 15.”