Raja News, a news outlet close to former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, published a report on this arrest called “The Detainment of Three Suspects of Corruption in Sports Journalism”. According to the report, Ahmadpour and the other journalists alongside whom he was arrested were under surveillance for a few months before the arrests.

Etemad Melli newspaper also reported on the incident: “Some of the sports journalists were arrested at their offices at work.” The paper explained the reason behind the arrest as being based on “rumors about the involvement of those journalists in the trade of soccer players.” 

Another sports journalist, who wishes his identity to be kept secret, told Radio Farda (“Radio Tomorrow”) that “these people were arrested because of the lawsuit against them by the General Manager of Esteghlal Club, Vaez Ashtiani, and Sepahan Club General Manager, Mohammadreza Saket”.

However, one of Iran’s sports veterans believes that “these arrests are somehow linked with the letter that several Club GMs wrote and signed to the General Inspection Office”.

In this letter, that was first was published in October 2008, general managers asked the Iranian judicial system to pursue and prosecute journalists who disturb athletes’ and coaches’ peace.

Because of the lack of transparency in the Iranian judicial system, especially in the case of journalists, there is always reasonable doubt that the official narrative could be misleading, and the real reason behind the arrests remains undisclosed.

Iranian officials never shared any information about the arrests. The journalists were released after a few months, but their charge and the reason behind their arrests were never disclosed.