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More than 20 Olympic medallists, trainers and other global sports figures have signed a letter demanding a end to the execution of a boxing champion and coach, who is facing execution in Iran.

Escalating Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst increasing international outrage over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a tool of repression, the strongly worded letter denounces the government's verdict to confirm the execution order of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, thirty, from the city in north-east Iran, was arrested for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and indicted of supporting an resistance movement. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been mistreated and kept in isolation.

“Athletics is meant to encourage optimism, togetherness, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his opinions is a blatant attack on these ideals and a caution to any competitor who attempts to express dissent.

History of Executing Athletes

The appeal said that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not unique and highlighted the country's history of executing sports champions for their convictions, including a national team leader, leader of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Further supporters to the appeal comprise Tracy Edwards, who skippered the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a renowned yachting trophy; the former skipper of the Australian football team an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the Iranian squad for the international competition.

Detention and Unfair Trial

The athlete was taken into custody in early 2020. The allegations against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and damage of state assets”. His ruling has been annulled multiple times but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the third occasion. His trial was criticized as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and bodies.

Appeal to International Body

The urging to prevent the boxer's capital punishment is subsequent to a 2023 letter to the global human rights chief for freedoms, endorsed by more than a hundred rights specialists and groups, calling for measures to stop the competitor's execution.

Execution Crisis

Based on reports, there is an “execution crisis in the nation, which has attained alarming proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government sentenced at least over 850 people – a 48% rise on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, constituting the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. More than hundreds of people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Dissidents and dissidents are victims, especially in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Specialists say the regime have used the capital punishment to stifle protest, generate apprehension among the citizenry and strengthen their grip on rule.