Young Apostles have rejected claims that Aduana FC chief executive Atta Poku was denied entry to the stadium during their 1-0 Ghana Premier League victory on Sunday.
The club said the incident followed an attempt by the Aduana FC official to enter the VIP section through an unauthorised entrance. According to Young Apostles, he was directed to the designated access point in line with the security procedures governing the area.
In a statement issued on Monday, 12 October, Young Apostles said its officials made several efforts to help Atta Poku gain entry and personally invited him to join the VIP section.
The club said he declined those offers and chose to remain outside the stadium.
“Mr Poku subsequently chose, of his own volition, to remain outside the stadium and later shared photographs that create a false impression of exclusion,” the statement said.
The dispute began after Atta Poku shared photographs online following Aduana FC’s defeat. The images led to claims on social media that the club’s chief executive had been prevented from entering the venue.
Young Apostles disputed that interpretation, saying the photographs did not accurately represent the circumstances. It insisted that its management had not attempted to stop the visiting club’s representative from attending the match.
The club said the same established security arrangements applied to Atta Poku as to anyone seeking access to the designated VIP area. It maintained that he was directed to the correct entrance, where he could have entered according to the required protocols.
Young Apostles also rejected suggestions that Aduana FC supporters had been treated poorly. It said hospitality had been provided to fans who travelled to watch their team and denied creating an unwelcoming environment for the visitors or their representatives.
The club expressed regret that the disagreement had overshadowed what it described as a welcoming atmosphere at its home venue.
Although Young Apostles secured the points with a 1-0 win, the post-match discussion shifted towards the arrangements for officials and spectators after the photographs circulated online.
The statement was intended to clarify the club’s account of events and defend the conduct of its management and security personnel during the fixture. Young Apostles said the controversy arose from enforcement of stadium access procedures, rather than a deliberate decision to exclude Atta Poku.
It urged football stakeholders to exercise caution before sharing information about incidents at matches, particularly where claims could harm the reputation of clubs and their officials.
Young Apostles reiterated that its officials had attempted to facilitate Atta Poku’s entry and invited him into the VIP section. The club said he instead decided to remain outside, and called on stakeholders to refrain from spreading what it considers misleading and damaging information.
