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Over 20 Olympic champions, coaches and other international athletes have signed a statement urging a stop to the death penalty of a boxing champion and instructor, who is on death row in the nation.

Increasing Global Anger

Amid growing international outrage over the country's increasing application of executions as a tool of oppression, the strongly worded appeal censures the Iranian regime's verdict to uphold the execution order of the boxing champion.

The boxer, 30, from the city in north-east Iran, was detained for participating in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and accused of aiding an opposition group. He has spent five years in detention, where he has been mistreated and kept in isolation.

“Competition is designed to encourage optimism, togetherness, and bravery,” the signatories stated. “The death penalty of a winner for his political views is a direct assault on these values and a warning to any competitor who attempts to voice opinions.

History of Executing Competitors

The letter said that Vafaei Sani’s situation was part of a pattern and emphasized the nation's record of putting to death athletes for their views, for example Habib Khabiri, captain of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, captain of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year Iranian competitor, faced the death penalty.

Additional supporters to the letter include a sailing champion, who led the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to receive a prestigious nautical honor; the former captain of the national squad an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process

Vafaei Sani was taken into custody in the spring of 2020. The allegations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His verdict has been annulled multiple times but on 4 October it was confirmed on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “deeply biased” by advocates and organizations.

Call to UN

The urging to prevent the athlete's capital punishment follows a earlier letter to the UN high commissioner for rights, signed by in excess of a hundred human rights experts and organizations, urging measures to avert the athlete’s capital punishment.

Execution Crisis

As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached horrific dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials put to death at least 853 people – a nearly half rise on 2022. The year before, data showed 972 capital punishments, marking the highest number since two thousand fifteen. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Activists and protesters are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Experts say the regime have employed the executions to stifle opposition, create fear among the public and reinforce their hold on power.