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Over 20 Olympic medallists, mentors and further world-class competitors have signed a appeal urging a halt to the execution of a boxing champion and trainer, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Increasing International Outrage

Amidst increasing global condemnation over the nation's increasing application of the death penalty as a tool of repression, the strongly worded appeal censures the government's ruling to confirm the execution order of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of backing an resistance movement. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and held in isolation.

“Athletics is designed to inspire faith, togetherness, and fortitude,” the signatories stated. “The capital punishment of a champion for his opinions is a clear violation on these ideals and a warning to any competitor who dares to speak out.

Pattern of Killing Athletes

The appeal pointed out that the boxer's case was not unique and underscored the nation's past of executing competitors for their convictions, for example Habib Khabiri, captain of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year-old Iranian sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Further endorsers to the letter comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the first all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the initial female to be awarded a esteemed nautical honor; the previous captain of the Australian football team an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

The boxer was detained in early 2020. The accusations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of public property”. His verdict has been annulled on two occasions but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the latest review. His trial was denounced as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and organizations.

Urging to UN

The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s capital punishment comes after a earlier statement to the UN high commissioner for rights, endorsed by more than one hundred rights specialists and entities, urging intervention to avert the athlete’s capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

According to data, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has achieved shocking proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities executed at least over 850 people – a nearly half surge on 2022. Last year, records showed 972 deaths, marking the maximum count since 2015. More than hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Activists and dissidents are targets, notably in the wake of the the year 2022 uprising. Experts say the regime have used the death penalty to suppress protest, create anxiety among the public and reinforce their hold on authority.