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More than 20 Olympic champions, coaches and additional global sports figures have signed a appeal calling for a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is facing execution in Iran.

Escalating Global Anger

During increasing worldwide anger over Iran’s expanding employment of the death penalty as a tool of oppression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the Iranian regime's ruling to maintain the execution order of the boxing champion.

The athlete, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for participating in nationwide protests in two thousand nineteen and indicted of supporting an resistance movement. He has endured 60 months in incarceration, where he has been tortured and confined in seclusion.

“Competition is intended to promote hope, solidarity, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his opinions is a blatant attack on these principles and a admonition to every athlete who dares to voice opinions.

History of Putting to Death Competitors

The letter noted that the athlete's situation was not unique and highlighted the country's record of sentencing to death competitors for their beliefs, for example a football captain, leader of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other signatories to the statement include Tracy Edwards, who captained the pioneering women's squad in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to receive a prestigious nautical honor; the previous skipper of the national squad Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament.

Detention and Unjust Proceedings

The athlete was detained in the spring of 2020. The allegations against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His ruling has been reversed twice but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the third occasion. His court case was condemned as “deeply biased” by advocates and groups.

Call to UN

The appeal to stop Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a previous letter to the UN high commissioner for rights, backed by more than one hundred advocates and organizations, calling for action to prevent the sports figure's capital punishment.

Execution Crisis

As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has attained horrific levels”. In the year 2023, officials put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% surge on 2022. The year before, data showed nearly a thousand capital punishments, constituting the maximum count since two thousand fifteen. More than hundreds of people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and protesters are targets, particularly in the wake of the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the regime have used the executions to stifle protest, generate apprehension among the citizenry and tighten their grip on rule.