Keith Hellawell, chairman of Sports Direct, will remain in post despite a majority of independent shareholders voting against his reappointment. At the shareholder meeting yesterday, almost 54% of independents voted for Hellawell to step down. However, Sports Direct chief executive and a 55% shareholder, Mike Ashley, backed Hellawell with his own vote, ensuring his survival on the board. The Times quoted Ashley saying he felt "bitterly let down" by independent shareholders, "given that we’ve done everything we possibly can to make a positive difference". Hellawell had pledged to step down if he could not win the support of indep