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Over twenty Olympic medallists, mentors and other world-class competitors have endorsed a statement demanding a stop to the execution of a champion boxer and coach, who is on death row in Iran.

Escalating International Outrage

Amidst increasing global condemnation over the country's escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of suppression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the authorities's decision to maintain the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and accused of backing an opposition group. He has spent half a decade in prison, where he has been abused and confined in seclusion.

“Athletics is designed to encourage optimism, solidarity, and fortitude,” the supporters stated. “The death penalty of a winner for his opinions is a direct assault on these ideals and a admonition to every athlete who ventures to express dissent.

Record of Killing Competitors

The letter noted that the boxer's circumstances was not unique and underscored the nation's history of sentencing to death athletes for their views, for example Habib Khabiri, captain of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Further supporters to the letter consist of Tracy Edwards, who led the pioneering female-only team in a global yacht race and was the first woman to receive 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 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was detained in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him included “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and damage of government belongings”. His verdict has been reversed multiple times but on 4 October it was upheld on the third attempt. His court case was denounced as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and bodies.

Appeal to International Body

The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a previous appeal to the UN high commissioner for rights, signed by more than a hundred rights specialists and groups, demanding measures to stop the sports figure's execution.

Execution Crisis

Based on data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has achieved alarming levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials put to death at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent increase on the previous year. Last year, records showed nine hundred seventy-two deaths, marking the highest number since 2015. More than 800 people have been executed so far in the current year.

Activists and dissidents are focus, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Analysts say the regime have used the death penalty to stifle opposition, instil anxiety among the population and strengthen their grip on authority.