🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Urge on Iran to Prevent Death Sentence of Boxing Champion In excess of twenty Olympic medallists, mentors and other international athletes have signed a statement urging a end to the execution of a champion boxer and coach, who is sentenced to die in Iran. Growing Global Anger During increasing worldwide anger over the country's escalating use of capital punishment as a instrument of repression, the powerfully expressed letter censures the Iranian regime's decision to confirm the death sentence of the boxing champion. The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was detained for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of supporting an resistance movement. He has spent 60 months in incarceration, where he has been abused and confined in solitary confinement. “Competition is intended to inspire optimism, unity, and fortitude,” the signatories stated. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to any competitor who attempts to express dissent. Pattern of Executing Athletes The statement said that Vafaei Sani’s situation was not an isolated one and highlighted the nation's past of executing athletes for their views, including a football captain, leader of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, captain of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year Iranian competitor, was also executed. Additional supporters to the appeal include a yachting pioneer, who led the first all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the initial female to earn a renowned yachting trophy; the previous captain of the soccer side an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the global tournament. Detention and Unjust Proceedings The athlete was taken into custody in March 2020. The allegations against him included “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of government belongings”. His ruling has been overturned multiple times but on 4 October it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and organizations. Urging to United Nations The appeal to prevent Vafaei Sani’s execution follows a previous letter to the UN high commissioner for freedoms, backed by in excess of 100 rights specialists and organizations, urging action to prevent the athlete’s death. Execution Crisis According to data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has achieved alarming dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials executed at least over 850 people – a 48% surge on 2022. In the prior period, records showed 972 deaths, representing the maximum count since 2015. More than hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025. Political prisoners and dissidents are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have employed the executions to stifle dissent, instil anxiety among the citizenry and reinforce their grip on power.