🔗 Share this article Elite Athletes Appeal on Iran to Stop Execution of Boxing Star More than 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and additional international athletes have signed a appeal urging a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and coach, who is facing execution in the nation. Escalating Worldwide Condemnation During increasing worldwide anger over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a tool of suppression, the powerfully expressed appeal condemns the authorities's decision to maintain the execution order of the boxing champion. The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for taking part in national uprisings in 2019 and accused of aiding an resistance movement. He has endured 60 months in detention, where he has been mistreated and confined in isolation. “Athletics is intended to promote faith, solidarity, and courage,” the endorsers expressed. “The death penalty of a champion for his opinions is a blatant attack on these ideals and a admonition to any competitor who ventures to speak out. History of Putting to Death Athletes The letter pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s situation was not unique and underscored the nation's record of putting to death sports champions for their beliefs, such as Habib Khabiri, captain of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a young national competitor, was also executed. Other supporters to the statement consist of a yachting pioneer, who skippered the pioneering all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the initial female to earn a renowned nautical honor; the previous skipper of the soccer side a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the global tournament. Detention and Flawed Legal Process Vafaei Sani was arrested in the spring of 2020. The charges against him comprised “spreading corruption on Earth through arson and damage of public property”. His ruling has been reversed twice but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the latest review. His trial was condemned as “highly unjust” by advocates and bodies. Urging to UN The call to prevent the athlete's capital punishment comes after a previous appeal to the global human rights chief for human rights, signed by more than 100 human rights experts and organizations, calling for action to avert the athlete’s capital punishment. Capital Punishment Escalation According to reports, there is an “execution crisis in the nation, which has attained horrific levels”. In 2023, officials executed at least over 850 people – a nearly half increase on the previous year. The year before, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, representing the maximum count since the year 2015. Over eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in 2025. Political prisoners and dissidents are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the Iranian authorities have utilized the death penalty to quell protest, generate apprehension among the citizenry and tighten their grip on authority.