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In excess of twenty Olympic champions, coaches and other world-class competitors have endorsed a statement urging a end to the death penalty of a champion boxer and instructor, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst increasing international outrage over the nation's expanding employment of executions as a means of suppression, the strongly worded appeal condemns the authorities's ruling to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northern province, was taken into custody for participating in countrywide demonstrations in two thousand nineteen and charged of aiding an dissident organization. He has spent five years in incarceration, where he has been tortured and kept in isolation.

“Sport is intended to inspire optimism, togetherness, and bravery,” the endorsers expressed. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these ideals and a caution to all sportspeople who dares to voice opinions.

History of Putting to Death Competitors

The appeal said that the athlete's case was not an isolated one and highlighted the country's past of executing competitors for their convictions, for example a football captain, captain of the soccer squad, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a young Iranian sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Additional supporters to the letter consist of Tracy Edwards, who captained the first female-only team in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to earn a esteemed yachting trophy; the ex- skipper of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Detention and Unjust Proceedings

The boxer was detained in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and ruin of public property”. His verdict has been reversed twice but on 4 October it was confirmed on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and groups.

Appeal to United Nations

The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a previous appeal to the UN high commissioner for human rights, backed by in excess of 100 rights specialists and entities, urging action to prevent the athlete’s execution.

Execution Crisis

Based on reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the country, which has attained horrific levels”. In the year 2023, the government executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a nearly half increase on 2022. Last year, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. In excess of eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Activists and dissidents are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the government have employed the capital punishment to suppress opposition, create apprehension among the population and reinforce their grip on authority.