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Over 20 Olympic medallists, mentors and further international athletes have endorsed a appeal demanding a halt to the execution of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the country.

Escalating Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst growing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of executions as a means of oppression, the strongly worded statement condemns the authorities's ruling to uphold the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from the city in the northern province, was taken into custody for being involved in national uprisings in 2019 and charged of aiding an dissident organization. He has endured half a decade in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in isolation.

“Sport is designed to promote faith, unity, and courage,” the signatories wrote. “The death penalty of a winner for his political views is a clear violation on these ideals and a admonition to all sportspeople who ventures to voice opinions.

Record of Executing Sports Figures

The statement pointed out that the athlete's circumstances was part of a pattern and underscored the nation's history of sentencing to death competitors for their views, such as a national team leader, leader of the soccer squad, and a women's sports leader, leader of the female volleyball side. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a young national competitor, was put to death.

Further supporters to the letter include a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the initial female to earn a esteemed nautical honor; the former leader of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the global tournament.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was detained in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and destruction of government belongings”. His sentence has been annulled on two occasions but on 4 October it was maintained on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and bodies.

Urging to United Nations

The appeal to prevent Vafaei Sani’s execution follows a 2023 appeal to the United Nations official for rights, signed by more than 100 human rights experts and groups, demanding intervention to stop the athlete’s death.

Execution Crisis

According to data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has reached alarming dimensions”. In the year 2023, the government executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% rise on 2022. The year before, data showed 972 deaths, marking the maximum count since 2015. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and opponents are victims, notably in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have employed the death penalty to quell dissent, create fear among the public and tighten their grip on authority.