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In excess of 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and further world-class competitors have put their names to a statement urging a stop to the execution of a boxing champion and coach, who is facing execution in the country.

Growing International Outrage

Amid increasing worldwide anger over the nation's increasing application of the death penalty as a means of repression, the forcefully phrased statement denounces the government's decision to uphold the execution order of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and indicted of aiding an resistance movement. He has passed 60 months in detention, where he has been tortured and confined in solitary confinement.

“Athletics is meant to promote faith, solidarity, and fortitude,” the endorsers expressed. “The capital punishment of a winner for his political views is a clear violation on these principles and a admonition to all sportspeople who dares to speak out.

Pattern of Executing Sports Figures

The letter said that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was part of a pattern and highlighted Iran’s record of executing sports champions for their views, including a football captain, leader of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the female volleyball side. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a young Iranian competitor, was put to death.

Further endorsers to the appeal comprise a yachting pioneer, who captained the pioneering all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a renowned nautical honor; the previous leader of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

Vafaei Sani was detained in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and destruction of state assets”. His sentence has been reversed on two occasions but on October 4 it was confirmed on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was criticized as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and bodies.

Call to International Body

The call to halt Vafaei Sani’s capital punishment is subsequent to a previous statement to the global human rights chief for rights, backed by over one hundred advocates and groups, calling for measures to avert the athlete’s death.

Execution Crisis

As per reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has achieved alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials executed at least 853 people – a nearly half increase on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nearly a thousand capital punishments, marking the highest number since 2015. Over hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are targets, particularly in the wake of the 2022's demonstrations. Experts say the government have utilized the capital punishment to suppress dissent, create apprehension among the population and tighten their control on rule.