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In excess of 20 Olympic medallists, mentors and further world-class competitors have signed a statement demanding a halt to the capital punishment of a boxing champion and trainer, who is sentenced to die in Iran.

Escalating Global Anger

During rising international outrage over Iran’s escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of repression, the powerfully expressed appeal denounces the authorities's verdict to confirm the capital punishment of the athlete.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northern province, was taken into custody for taking part in national uprisings in 2019 and indicted of backing an dissident organization. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been tortured and confined in seclusion.

“Athletics is meant to promote optimism, solidarity, and bravery,” the endorsers expressed. “The death penalty of a winner for his opinions is a direct assault on these principles and a admonition to any competitor who dares to speak out.

Record of Putting to Death Competitors

The appeal said that Vafaei Sani’s case was not unique and highlighted the nation's past of sentencing to death athletes for their beliefs, such as a football captain, skipper of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year-old national competitor, was put to death.

Additional endorsers to the statement include a yachting pioneer, who captained the first women's squad in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to receive a prestigious yachting trophy; the former skipper of the soccer side Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Detention and Unfair Trial

The boxer was arrested in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and damage of state assets”. His verdict has been annulled multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the latest review. His legal proceedings was condemned as “grossly unfair” by advocates and bodies.

Urging to United Nations

The appeal to stop the athlete's capital punishment follows a 2023 appeal to the global human rights chief for rights, backed by more than one hundred human rights experts and entities, demanding action to stop the sports figure's capital punishment.

Execution Crisis

According to data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached horrific proportions”. In the year 2023, authorities sentenced at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a 48% rise on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, marking the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. More than 800 people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Activists and opponents are focus, especially in the wake of the the year 2022 protests. Specialists say the government have utilized the death penalty to quell dissent, generate anxiety among the citizenry and reinforce their hold on rule.