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More than 20 Olympic champions, coaches and further international athletes have endorsed a letter calling for a stop to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the country.

Growing Global Anger

Amid rising global condemnation over the country's escalating use of executions as a instrument of oppression, the forcefully phrased statement condemns the government's verdict to maintain the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

The boxer, 30, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was arrested for being involved in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and accused of backing an opposition group. He has endured half a decade in incarceration, where he has been abused and held in solitary confinement.

“Sport is meant to encourage faith, solidarity, and fortitude,” the supporters expressed. “The execution of a winner for his opinions is a blatant attack on these ideals and a warning to all sportspeople who dares to express dissent.

Record of Killing Competitors

The appeal noted that the athlete's case was not an isolated one and underscored the nation's record of sentencing to death competitors for their convictions, for example Habib Khabiri, skipper of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year-old national wrestling champion, was put to death.

Other endorsers to the statement consist of a sailing champion, who captained the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the initial female to be awarded a prestigious yachting trophy; the ex- skipper of the soccer side an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was arrested in early 2020. The charges against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and destruction of public property”. His ruling has been annulled on two occasions but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the third attempt. His court case was condemned as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and bodies.

Call to United Nations

The appeal to prevent Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a 2023 appeal to the United Nations official for human rights, endorsed by in excess of a hundred rights specialists and entities, calling for action to stop the athlete’s death.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has reached alarming proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on 2022. Last year, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, marking the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. In excess of hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and protesters are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have used the capital punishment to stifle dissent, instil apprehension among the population and reinforce their control on authority.