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In excess of two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and further international athletes have put their names to a appeal urging a stop to the execution of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is on death row in the country.

Increasing International Outrage

During growing global condemnation over the nation's increasing application of executions as a means of oppression, the strongly worded statement censures the authorities's ruling to uphold the execution order of the boxing champion.

The boxer, 30, from the city in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for participating in nationwide protests in the year 2019 and accused of supporting an opposition group. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in isolation.

“Sport is meant to encourage hope, unity, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The execution of a winner for his political views is a clear violation on these ideals and a caution to every athlete who ventures to voice opinions.

History of Putting to Death Sports Figures

The letter noted that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not unique and emphasized Iran’s record of executing sports champions for their convictions, such as Habib Khabiri, captain of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a young national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Further supporters to the letter consist of Tracy Edwards, who captained the inaugural female-only team in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to receive a renowned sailing award; the ex- skipper of the soccer side Craig Foster; and a footballer, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament.

Detention and Flawed Legal Process

Vafaei Sani was detained in March 2020. The accusations against him included “promoting decay on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of state assets”. His sentence has been overturned on two occasions but on 4 October it was maintained on the latest review. His trial was denounced as “highly unjust” by human rights activists and groups.

Call to International Body

The urging to stop Vafaei Sani’s death sentence comes after a 2023 statement to the global human rights chief for freedoms, backed by over one hundred rights specialists and organizations, urging intervention to stop the athlete’s death.

Execution Crisis

Based on findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached shocking dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials sentenced at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a nearly half increase on 2022. In the prior period, records showed 972 deaths, marking the peak figure since the year 2015. Over hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and opponents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Experts say the government have employed the capital punishment to stifle protest, generate apprehension among the public and strengthen their hold on authority.