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Over two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and further world-class competitors have signed a letter urging a end to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is on death row in the country.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst rising worldwide anger over the country's increasing application of executions as a instrument of repression, the strongly worded appeal denounces the authorities's ruling to maintain the execution order of the athlete.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was arrested for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of backing an dissident organization. He has endured 60 months in incarceration, where he has been mistreated and kept in seclusion.

“Athletics is designed to encourage optimism, unity, and bravery,” the signatories stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his political views is a blatant attack on these values and a caution to any competitor who attempts to voice opinions.

Pattern of Executing Athletes

The statement said that the athlete's circumstances was not an isolated one and underscored the nation's record of sentencing to death sports champions for their convictions, for example a football captain, leader of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a 27-year-old Iranian sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other supporters to the appeal consist of Tracy Edwards, who captained the first women's squad in a global yacht race and was the initial female to be awarded a renowned nautical honor; the ex- leader of the national squad a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was arrested in March 2020. The accusations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of public property”. His sentence has been reversed on two occasions but on October 4 it was maintained on the third attempt. His court case was denounced as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and bodies.

Call to International Body

The urging to stop Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a earlier appeal to the global human rights chief for rights, backed by more than one hundred human rights experts and groups, urging intervention to stop the athlete’s death.

Death Penalty Surge

As per data, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has achieved shocking levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities put to death at least 853 people – a 48% increase on 2022. The year before, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, representing the peak figure since the year 2015. Over hundreds of people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the government have used the capital punishment to quell protest, instil fear among the population and strengthen their control on rule.