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More than 20 Olympic champions, coaches and additional global sports figures have endorsed a appeal calling for a halt to the capital punishment of a boxing champion and trainer, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst increasing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a means of suppression, the strongly worded statement censures the authorities's verdict to confirm the capital punishment of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The boxer, thirty, from the city in the northern province, was taken into custody for participating in national uprisings in two thousand nineteen and indicted of backing an opposition group. He has passed half a decade in prison, where he has been abused and kept in isolation.

“Sport is meant to encourage optimism, solidarity, and courage,” the supporters stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his beliefs is a direct assault on these values and a admonition to any competitor who dares to voice opinions.

History of Executing Sports Figures

The appeal pointed out that the boxer's case was part of a pattern and underscored the country's record of sentencing to death sports champions for their beliefs, including a national team leader, leader of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the women's volleyball squad. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a young national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Additional supporters to the statement comprise a sailing champion, who captained the pioneering female-only team in a international sailing event and was the initial female to be awarded a prestigious yachting trophy; the previous captain of the Australian football team Craig Foster; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process

The boxer was taken into custody in March 2020. The accusations against him entailed “spreading corruption on Earth through arson and destruction of government belongings”. His sentence has been overturned multiple times but on October 4 it was maintained on the third attempt. His trial was criticized as “deeply biased” by rights defenders and organizations.

Urging to UN

The appeal to stop Vafaei Sani’s death sentence follows a previous appeal to the United Nations official for human rights, backed by more than 100 rights specialists and entities, demanding measures to prevent the athlete’s execution.

Execution Crisis

As per reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the country, which has achieved alarming proportions”. In the year 2023, the government executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a forty-eight percent rise on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nearly a thousand executions, representing the highest number since the year 2015. In excess of hundreds of people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Activists and protesters are targets, notably in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the regime have utilized the death penalty to quell dissent, generate apprehension among the citizenry and tighten their hold on rule.