🔗 Share this article Olympians Appeal on Iran to Halt Execution of Boxing Champion More than 20 Olympic medal winners, coaches and further international athletes have signed a statement calling for a stop to the execution of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is facing execution in the country. Escalating International Outrage During increasing global condemnation over the country's escalating use of executions as a means of suppression, the strongly worded appeal denounces the government's ruling to maintain the death sentence of the boxing champion. Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was detained for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in two thousand nineteen and charged of backing an opposition group. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been abused and kept in isolation. “Sport is designed to encourage optimism, unity, and fortitude,” the signatories expressed. “The death penalty of a titleholder for his beliefs is a clear violation on these principles and a caution to all sportspeople who dares to speak out. History of Putting to Death Competitors The letter noted that Vafaei Sani’s situation was part of a pattern and emphasized the country's history of putting to death athletes for their convictions, for example Habib Khabiri, leader of the football side, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was put to death. Additional endorsers to the letter include a sailing champion, who led the first all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the initial female to be awarded a renowned sailing award; the previous captain of the soccer side a sports advocate; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament. Detention and Flawed Legal Process The boxer was detained in March 2020. The charges against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and damage of state assets”. His sentence has been overturned twice but on the fourth of October it was confirmed on the latest review. His legal proceedings was denounced as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and bodies. Urging to UN The appeal to prevent Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a previous appeal to the United Nations official for human rights, signed by over 100 human rights experts and groups, calling for intervention to stop the competitor's death. Execution Crisis Based on findings, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has reached alarming dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. Over 800 people have been put to death so far in 2025. Activists and opponents are victims, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the Iranian authorities have utilized the death penalty to stifle protest, generate fear among the citizenry and strengthen their grip on rule.