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More than 20 Olympic medal winners, mentors and additional global sports figures have put their names to a statement demanding a halt to the death penalty of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is sentenced to die in the country.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst rising international outrage over the country's escalating use of executions as a tool of suppression, the strongly worded appeal denounces the authorities's decision to maintain the capital punishment of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for participating in nationwide protests in the year 2019 and charged of aiding an opposition group. He has endured 60 months in prison, where he has been tortured and kept in isolation.

“Sport is designed to inspire optimism, solidarity, and fortitude,” the endorsers wrote. “The capital punishment of a champion for his opinions is a blatant attack on these principles and a warning to all sportspeople who dares to voice opinions.

History of Killing Sports Figures

The statement pointed out that the athlete's case was not unique and underscored the nation's history of executing competitors for their views, for example a football captain, leader of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a young national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other endorsers to the letter comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the pioneering all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the initial female to receive a esteemed yachting trophy; the previous leader of the national squad a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Detention and Unfair Trial

Vafaei Sani was arrested in the spring of 2020. The accusations against him comprised “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and damage of government belongings”. His sentence has been reversed on two occasions but on 4 October it was confirmed on the third occasion. His court case was denounced as “deeply biased” by advocates and organizations.

Appeal to UN

The call to prevent the athlete's death sentence follows a earlier letter to the UN high commissioner for human rights, backed by more than 100 human rights experts and groups, calling for measures to avert the competitor's death.

Death Penalty Surge

According to findings, there is an “capital punishment escalation in Iran, which has reached alarming dimensions”. In two thousand twenty-three, the government executed at least 853 people – a nearly half surge on 2022. Last year, statistics showed 972 deaths, constituting the maximum count since the year 2015. In excess of eight hundred people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Dissidents and dissidents are targets, notably in the aftermath of the 2022 protests. Experts say the regime have employed the capital punishment to stifle dissent, generate anxiety among the population and strengthen their grip on authority.