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In excess of 20 Olympic champions, mentors and other international athletes have signed a appeal demanding a end to the death penalty of a boxing champion and trainer, who is facing execution in Iran.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst increasing global condemnation over Iran’s expanding employment of executions as a instrument of oppression, the strongly worded letter censures the Iranian regime's ruling to uphold the capital punishment of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for taking part in national uprisings in 2019 and indicted of supporting an opposition group. He has passed half a decade in incarceration, where he has been mistreated and kept in solitary confinement.

“Athletics is designed to promote hope, unity, and bravery,” the supporters wrote. “The capital punishment of a winner for his opinions is a direct assault on these values and a caution to all sportspeople who dares to speak out.

Record of Putting to Death Athletes

The letter pointed out that the boxer's situation was not unique and highlighted the nation's record of putting to death sports champions for their beliefs, including Habib Khabiri, leader of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, leader of the female volleyball side. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a young Iranian sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Other endorsers to the letter comprise Tracy Edwards, who skippered the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to earn a prestigious nautical honor; the former skipper of the Australian football team Craig Foster; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

Vafaei Sani was detained in early 2020. The charges against him entailed “spreading corruption on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of public property”. His ruling has been reversed multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the latest review. His legal proceedings was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and organizations.

Call to International Body

The urging to stop the athlete's capital punishment is subsequent to a previous appeal to the global human rights chief for rights, backed by over 100 advocates and organizations, demanding intervention to avert the competitor's capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has reached horrific dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials executed at least 853 people – a 48% increase on 2022. Last year, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. Over hundreds of people have been executed so far in 2025.

Political prisoners and opponents are targets, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 uprising. Experts say the regime have utilized the capital punishment to stifle opposition, generate apprehension among the citizenry and reinforce their control on rule.