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Over two dozen Olympic medal winners, mentors and further international athletes have signed a appeal demanding a end to the capital punishment of a boxing champion and trainer, who is facing execution in the nation.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amid rising global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of suppression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the government's decision to confirm the capital punishment of the athlete.

The athlete, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for participating in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and charged of aiding an dissident organization. He has endured 60 months in prison, where he has been mistreated and kept in isolation.

“Athletics is designed to inspire optimism, togetherness, and fortitude,” the signatories expressed. “The execution of a winner for his political views is a clear violation on these values and a caution to every athlete who ventures to speak out.

Record of Executing Sports Figures

The letter noted that the boxer's circumstances was not an isolated one and underscored the country's past of executing sports champions for their views, such as a national team leader, leader of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the female volleyball side. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year-old national competitor, was put to death.

Additional signatories to the appeal include a yachting pioneer, who captained the inaugural all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the first woman to be awarded a esteemed nautical honor; the ex- captain of the national squad a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Detention and Flawed Legal Process

Vafaei Sani was arrested in March 2020. The accusations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and destruction of public property”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on 4 October it was maintained on the third attempt. His legal proceedings was denounced as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and groups.

Appeal to UN

The call to stop the boxer's death sentence comes after a previous letter to the global human rights chief for freedoms, signed by more than a hundred human rights experts and organizations, demanding measures to avert the sports figure's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

According to data, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has achieved horrific levels”. In 2023, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent increase on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nine hundred seventy-two deaths, representing the highest number since two thousand fifteen. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have employed the capital punishment to quell dissent, create fear among the citizenry and strengthen their control on rule.