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Over 20 Olympic medallists, mentors and further world-class competitors have endorsed a statement calling for a stop to the execution of a boxing titleholder and coach, who is on death row in the country.

Increasing Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst growing global condemnation over the nation's escalating use of the death penalty as a tool of suppression, the forcefully phrased appeal censures the Iranian regime's ruling to uphold the execution order of the athlete.

The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was detained for being involved in national uprisings in the year 2019 and accused of aiding an opposition group. He has endured half a decade in detention, where he has been abused and held in seclusion.

“Athletics is intended to encourage hope, togetherness, and courage,” the endorsers expressed. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his political views is a direct assault on these ideals and a warning to any competitor who ventures to voice opinions.

Pattern of Killing Sports Figures

The appeal said that Vafaei Sani’s situation was part of a pattern and highlighted Iran’s past of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, including a football captain, skipper of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, leader of the female volleyball side. In two thousand twenty, a wrestling champion, a 27-year-old Iranian competitor, was also executed.

Additional endorsers to the letter comprise Tracy Edwards, who skippered the first all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the pioneering lady to receive a renowned sailing award; the ex- captain of the national squad Craig Foster; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

The boxer was taken into custody in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of government belongings”. His sentence has been overturned multiple times but on the fourth of October it was confirmed on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was criticized as “highly unjust” by advocates and groups.

Call to United Nations

The call to halt Vafaei Sani’s capital punishment is subsequent to a previous letter to the UN high commissioner for rights, signed by over a hundred human rights experts and organizations, demanding intervention to avert the sports figure's death.

Execution Crisis

As per findings, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has achieved alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials sentenced at least over 850 people – a nearly half surge on the previous year. Last year, data showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, marking the maximum count since the year 2015. Over 800 people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Activists and opponents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 uprising. Experts say the government have used the capital punishment to quell opposition, generate fear among the population and strengthen their grip on power.