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Over two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and additional international athletes have endorsed a statement demanding a halt to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and trainer, who is sentenced to die in Iran.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

During rising worldwide anger over the nation's escalating use of executions as a instrument of repression, the forcefully phrased appeal denounces the Iranian regime's ruling to confirm the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northern province, was arrested for participating in nationwide protests in the year 2019 and accused of supporting an opposition group. He has endured five years in detention, where he has been tortured and held in seclusion.

“Sport is designed to encourage optimism, unity, and fortitude,” the endorsers wrote. “The death penalty of a champion for his opinions is a direct assault on these ideals and a warning to all sportspeople who attempts to express dissent.

Pattern of Putting to Death Sports Figures

The letter pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s situation was not an isolated one and emphasized Iran’s history of sentencing to death sports champions for their views, such as a football captain, captain of the football side, and a volleyball captain, captain of the national women’s volleyball team. In the year 2020, an athlete, a 27-year national wrestling champion, was also executed.

Further signatories to the letter consist of a yachting pioneer, who captained the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to be awarded a prestigious yachting trophy; the previous captain of the national squad an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was taken into custody in early 2020. The allegations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His ruling has been annulled on two occasions but on 4 October it was upheld on the latest review. His trial was criticized as “deeply biased” by human rights activists and groups.

Appeal to International Body

The appeal to stop the boxer's execution is subsequent to a previous statement to the United Nations official for freedoms, endorsed by more than 100 human rights experts and groups, calling for action to prevent the competitor's capital punishment.

Execution Crisis

Based on reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has attained horrific levels”. In the year 2023, officials sentenced at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a nearly half surge on 2022. Last year, statistics showed 972 executions, marking the maximum count since two thousand fifteen. Over eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are victims, notably in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Experts say the regime have utilized the death penalty to suppress opposition, instil fear among the population and tighten their grip on rule.