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More than twenty Olympic medal winners, mentors and additional world-class competitors have signed a appeal urging a stop to the death penalty of a boxing champion and instructor, who is facing execution in the nation.

Increasing International Outrage

Amid rising global condemnation over Iran’s increasing application of capital punishment as a instrument of repression, the strongly worded letter censures the government's verdict to uphold the death sentence of the athlete.

The athlete, thirty, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was arrested for participating in countrywide demonstrations in two thousand nineteen and accused of backing an opposition group. He has spent five years in prison, where he has been abused and confined in isolation.

“Sport is designed to inspire faith, togetherness, and courage,” the endorsers wrote. “The execution of a champion for his beliefs is a clear violation on these values and a warning to every athlete who ventures to express dissent.

Pattern of Putting to Death Competitors

The statement pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s case was part of a pattern and underscored Iran’s past of sentencing to death sports champions for their beliefs, such as a national team leader, skipper of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, a wrestling champion, a young national competitor, was also executed.

Other supporters to the statement include a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to receive a prestigious yachting trophy; the ex- leader of the Australian football team an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the international competition.

Detention and Unjust Proceedings

The athlete was arrested in early 2020. The charges against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and destruction of state assets”. His sentence has been annulled on two occasions but on 4 October it was upheld on the third attempt. His trial was denounced as “deeply biased” by advocates and groups.

Urging to UN

The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s execution follows a 2023 statement to the UN high commissioner for rights, backed by in excess of a hundred advocates and groups, demanding intervention to prevent the athlete’s capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

According to data, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has achieved alarming levels”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials executed at least 853 people – a nearly half increase on 2022. The year before, data showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, marking the highest number since the year 2015. In excess of hundreds of people have been executed so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and protesters are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's uprising. Experts say the Iranian authorities have employed the executions to stifle opposition, generate apprehension among the population and tighten their control on rule.