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Over twenty Olympic medal winners, trainers and additional global sports figures have put their names to a appeal urging a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and trainer, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Increasing Global Anger

Amidst growing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of executions as a means of repression, the strongly worded letter denounces the authorities's ruling to uphold the death sentence of the boxing champion.

The boxer, thirty, from the city in the northeastern region, was detained for being involved in nationwide protests in two thousand nineteen and indicted of aiding an dissident organization. He has passed half a decade in detention, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion.

“Sport is meant to promote hope, unity, and courage,” the endorsers wrote. “The capital punishment of a winner for his political views is a clear violation on these ideals and a admonition to any competitor who dares to voice opinions.

Record of Executing Competitors

The statement noted that the athlete's circumstances was not unique and underscored the nation's record of executing competitors for their views, for example a national team leader, leader of the soccer squad, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was also executed.

Other endorsers to the statement include Tracy Edwards, who skippered the first women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the first woman to receive a prestigious sailing award; the ex- captain of the soccer side an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Detention and Unjust Proceedings

The athlete was detained in March 2020. The allegations against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His sentence has been overturned twice but on October 4 it was upheld on the latest review. His trial was denounced as “deeply biased” by advocates and organizations.

Call to United Nations

The call to stop Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a previous letter to the global human rights chief for rights, signed by more than a hundred advocates and entities, calling for intervention to prevent the competitor's capital punishment.

Execution Crisis

Based on findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has attained horrific levels”. In 2023, officials put to death at least 853 people – a nearly half rise on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed nearly a thousand executions, marking the highest number since the year 2015. More than hundreds of people have been executed so far in 2025.

Activists and dissidents are targets, notably in the aftermath of the 2022 protests. Specialists say the government have used the death penalty to quell dissent, instil fear among the public and reinforce their hold on rule.