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In excess of two dozen Olympic champions, coaches and further international athletes have put their names to a letter urging a stop to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and instructor, who is on death row in the nation.

Escalating Worldwide Condemnation

During growing worldwide anger over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a tool of oppression, the powerfully expressed letter denounces the government's ruling to uphold the capital punishment of the boxing champion.

Vafaei Sani, 30, from the city in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for taking part in countrywide demonstrations in the year 2019 and accused of backing an opposition group. He has endured five years in detention, where he has been tortured and kept in isolation.

“Athletics is designed to inspire hope, solidarity, and bravery,” the supporters stated. “The execution of a winner for his opinions is a blatant attack on these ideals and a caution to all sportspeople who attempts to speak out.

History of Executing Sports Figures

The letter pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not an isolated one and highlighted the nation's history of putting to death sports champions for their views, including a national team leader, captain of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian competitor, faced the death penalty.

Additional supporters to the letter include a sailing champion, who led the pioneering all-female crew in a round-the-world competition and was the pioneering lady to earn a renowned sailing award; the previous leader of the national squad an athlete; and a sports figure, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unjust Proceedings

Vafaei Sani was taken into custody in March 2020. The charges against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through incendiarism and destruction of state assets”. His ruling has been overturned multiple times but on the fourth of October it was upheld on the third occasion. His court case was denounced as “deeply biased” by human rights activists and groups.

Urging to International Body

The appeal to prevent the athlete's death sentence comes after a 2023 statement to the United Nations official for human rights, endorsed by more than one hundred advocates and groups, demanding action to avert the competitor's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

As per data, there is an “execution crisis in the country, which has achieved shocking dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent surge on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed nearly a thousand deaths, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. More than eight hundred people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Dissidents and dissidents are victims, particularly in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have employed the capital punishment to suppress opposition, generate apprehension among the citizenry and reinforce their control on power.