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More than two dozen Olympic champions, trainers and other global sports figures have signed a appeal urging a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is on death row in the country.

Increasing International Outrage

During rising worldwide anger over the nation's expanding employment of executions as a instrument of suppression, the forcefully phrased statement denounces the authorities's ruling to confirm the death sentence of the boxing champion.

The athlete, thirty, from the city in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of backing an resistance movement. He has passed five years in detention, where he has been abused and confined in isolation.

“Athletics is designed to promote hope, solidarity, and courage,” the signatories stated. “The death penalty of a champion for his political views is a direct assault on these principles and a caution to every athlete who ventures to voice opinions.

History of Putting to Death Athletes

The statement said that Vafaei Sani’s situation was not unique and emphasized Iran’s history of putting to death sports champions for their convictions, such as a national team leader, leader of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, a wrestling champion, a young national wrestling champion, faced the death penalty.

Other signatories to the statement comprise a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the initial female to earn a esteemed sailing award; the previous leader of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the international competition.

Arrest and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was detained in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and damage of state assets”. His sentence has been overturned multiple times but on 4 October it was maintained on the third attempt. His legal proceedings was denounced as “grossly unfair” by advocates and organizations.

Urging to UN

The urging to stop the boxer's capital punishment follows a previous appeal to the global human rights chief for rights, endorsed by over a hundred human rights experts and groups, calling for intervention to avert the athlete’s capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached shocking levels”. In the year 2023, officials executed at least eight hundred fifty-three people – a forty-eight percent rise on the previous year. In the prior period, records showed nearly a thousand executions, marking the peak figure since 2015. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in the current year.

Activists and opponents are victims, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Experts say the government have used the death penalty to stifle protest, create fear among the public and strengthen their grip on authority.