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Over 20 Olympic champions, trainers and additional international athletes have put their names to a appeal demanding a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and instructor, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amid growing worldwide anger over the country's expanding employment of executions as a means of oppression, the strongly worded statement denounces the authorities's ruling to maintain the capital punishment of the athlete.

The boxer, 30, from Mashhad in the northern province, was detained for being involved in national uprisings in 2019 and indicted of backing an resistance movement. He has endured 60 months in incarceration, where he has been tortured and held in isolation.

“Athletics is meant to inspire hope, solidarity, and bravery,” the signatories wrote. “The death penalty of a champion for his political views is a direct assault on these ideals and a admonition to all sportspeople who dares to express dissent.

Pattern of Executing Competitors

The appeal pointed out that the boxer's circumstances was not unique and underscored the nation's past of sentencing to death athletes for their convictions, such as a national team leader, captain of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a 27-year national competitor, was also executed.

Further signatories to the appeal consist of a sailing champion, who led the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the first woman to earn a renowned yachting trophy; the ex- skipper of the national squad Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the international competition.

Detention and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was arrested in early 2020. The allegations against him included “promoting decay on Earth through arson and ruin of public property”. His ruling has been reversed on two occasions but on October 4 it was maintained on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by human rights activists and groups.

Appeal to United Nations

The call to prevent the athlete's death sentence comes after a 2023 statement to the UN high commissioner for human rights, endorsed by more than one hundred rights specialists and entities, calling for measures to avert the athlete’s death.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has achieved shocking dimensions”. In 2023, authorities put to death at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a nearly half rise on 2022. The year before, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, marking the highest number since 2015. More than 800 people have been executed so far in 2025.

Activists and opponents are victims, notably in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Experts say the regime have used the executions to quell dissent, generate fear among the public and tighten their control on rule.