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More than twenty Olympic medallists, mentors and further global sports figures have endorsed a statement demanding a stop to the death penalty of a boxing champion and coach, who is facing execution in the country.

Escalating International Outrage

During growing international outrage over Iran’s increasing application of the death penalty as a means of suppression, the powerfully expressed statement condemns the Iranian regime's ruling to confirm the execution order of the boxing champion.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for taking part in nationwide protests in 2019 and indicted of aiding an dissident organization. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and held in isolation.

“Athletics is meant to encourage optimism, togetherness, and bravery,” the supporters wrote. “The execution of a titleholder for his beliefs is a direct assault on these principles and a admonition to all sportspeople who ventures to voice opinions.

Record of Killing Competitors

The statement noted that the boxer's situation was not an isolated one and highlighted the nation's past of executing athletes for their views, including Habib Khabiri, skipper of the football side, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, was also executed.

Other endorsers to the appeal include a sailing champion, who led the inaugural all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to receive a prestigious nautical honor; the ex- captain of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Detention and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was detained in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and damage of public property”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the third attempt. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and organizations.

Urging to International Body

The call to stop the boxer's capital punishment follows a 2023 statement to the global human rights chief for freedoms, endorsed by more than one hundred rights specialists and organizations, calling for measures to stop the sports figure's execution.

Capital Punishment Escalation

According to findings, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has achieved horrific levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% rise on the previous year. In the prior period, data showed 972 capital punishments, marking the maximum count since the year 2015. Over hundreds of people have been executed so far in 2025.

Dissidents and protesters are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Experts say the government have used the death penalty to stifle dissent, create apprehension among the citizenry and tighten their control on authority.