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In excess of two dozen Olympic champions, trainers and additional world-class competitors have put their names to a statement calling for a end to the death penalty of a boxing champion and instructor, who is on death row in the nation.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

During growing worldwide anger over the country's escalating use of executions as a instrument of repression, the strongly worded statement denounces the Iranian regime's verdict to confirm the execution order of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from the city in the northeastern region, was taken into custody for being involved in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and accused of backing an opposition group. He has endured 60 months in detention, where he has been mistreated and confined in solitary confinement.

“Competition is intended to inspire hope, togetherness, and courage,” the endorsers expressed. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his political views is a blatant attack on these ideals and a caution to any competitor who attempts to voice opinions.

Record of Killing Sports Figures

The appeal noted that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not unique and emphasized the country's past of sentencing to death athletes for their views, for example a football captain, captain of the national football team, and Fourouzan Abdi, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was put to death.

Additional supporters to the appeal comprise a yachting pioneer, who skippered the inaugural women's squad in a global yacht race and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a esteemed nautical honor; the previous leader of the soccer side a sports advocate; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the Iranian squad for the global tournament.

Arrest and Unjust Proceedings

Vafaei Sani was arrested in March 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and ruin of public property”. His verdict has been reversed on two occasions but on October 4 it was confirmed on the third occasion. His trial was denounced as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and bodies.

Call to UN

The call to halt Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a earlier appeal to the United Nations official for rights, backed by in excess of a hundred human rights experts and entities, urging measures to avert the sports figure's execution.

Execution Crisis

As per findings, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has reached alarming dimensions”. In the year 2023, authorities executed at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent rise on 2022. In the prior period, data showed 972 capital punishments, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. In excess of 800 people have been executed so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are focus, notably in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Analysts say the regime have employed the executions to quell dissent, generate anxiety among the population and tighten their grip on rule.