City to probe cancer email allegation

Manchester City are to investigate claims that their chief executive Garry Cook sent an offensive email to the cancer-stricken mother of one of City's players, the Premier League club announced on Monday.

Dr Anthonia Onuoha, mother and agent of City defender Nedum Onuoha, told The Sun newspaper earlier on Monday that she has asked the Football Association to investigate.

Cook has denied that he sent it, claiming someone hacked into his email account, but has apologised to Dr Onuoha while the club issued a statement promising a full investigation

"Following allegations made to the football club by Dr Anthonia Onuoha, subsequently reported in today's (Monday) media, the club can confirm that a board-led review has been launched into the matter," read the statement.
Cook apologised for "any hurt or embarrassment this may have caused" as well as denying sending the email which had been intended for City's director of football, Brian Marwood.
"I cannot and will not condone this unacceptable behaviour," said Cook.

"I can confirm Brian (Marwood) did not receive this email and disciplinary action is currently under way regarding one of our employees."

According to The Sun, Dr Onuoha wrote to Marwood about a contract dispute between the club and her son, who is an England Under-21 international.

In an email sent to Marwood last October, she said that, although her body was "ravaged with cancer and ongoing chemotherapy", she was still able to fight her son's corner.

Two weeks later she received an email, apparently written by Cook but destined for Marwood and sent to Dr Onuoha by mistake.

The Sun claimed: "The e-mail was addressed 'Brian' then said: 'Ravaged with it!!......I don't now how you sleep at night. You used to be such a nice man when I worked with you at nike (sic).'"

Dr Onuoha told the paper: "When I opened up my emails and saw the message, it was the worst day of my life. Even worse than being diagnosed with cancer.
"I couldn't understand how anybody could behave like that. I just cried and cried for hours.

"I'm critically ill and at that point I was undergoing chemotherapy. I was just so shocked but I couldn't tell Nedum or any of my family because I didn't know how they would react.

"It's incredible that any human being would write this. It's unforgivable and I still cannot believe it."

A former executive at sportswear giant Nike, Cook was the subject of negative headlines in the early days of his tenure at City.

He once described controversial former City owner Thaksin Shinawatra as "a great guy to play golf with," and said an attempt to sign Brazilian superstar Kaka failed because the player "bottled it".

However, Cook has also played an important role behind the scenes as City have established themselves as one of the strongest teams in England after years of under-achievement.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/city-chief-hot-water-over-onuoha-cancer-email-104918387.html;_ylt=As6Que42euc8m0RPSBQusEt2yLQF;_ylu=X3oDMTQ1MGJ0aTAzBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTcG9ydHNTRiBTb2NjZXJTU0YEcGtnA2JkNGJhNTkyLWQxMWQtMzJjYS1iZTYyLTFiNDk3ZDU3ZGMxZARwb3MDNgRzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgNjOWRkYjE2MC1kN2ZhLTExZTAtYWVmYS01NjA1Njc5MjY2Yzc-;_ylg=X3oDMTIxc3JwNm11BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzcG9ydHN8c29jY2VyBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3