JJB boss in loan pledge

UK sports retail chain JJB Sports insisted today its boss David Jones would repay a £1.5m (€1.74m) loan from the billionaire behind rival Sports Direct “as soon as possible” as it attempted to draw a line under the affair.

The group said its board stood by the executive chairman despite the embarrassing revelations regarding Mike Ashley’s loan, which emerged over the weekend and risked courting controversy over potential conflicts of interest.