🔗 Share this article Olympians Urge on Iran to Halt Execution of Boxing Champion Over 20 Olympic champions, trainers and additional global sports figures have signed a letter demanding a halt to the death penalty of a boxing champion and coach, who is on death row in the nation. Increasing Global Anger During growing international outrage over the nation's escalating use of the death penalty as a instrument of suppression, the powerfully expressed letter censures the government's verdict to maintain the capital punishment of the boxing champion. Vafaei Sani, thirty, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was detained for participating in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of aiding an opposition group. He has spent 60 months in prison, where he has been tortured and held in isolation. “Competition is intended to encourage faith, solidarity, and bravery,” the signatories expressed. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his beliefs is a direct assault on these values and a caution to any competitor who ventures to speak out. Pattern of Executing Sports Figures The appeal said that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not unique and underscored the country's past of sentencing to death athletes for their convictions, such as Habib Khabiri, leader of the football side, and a women's sports leader, leader of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year national sports titleholder, was also executed. Other signatories to the appeal include a sailing champion, who captained the first female-only team in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a esteemed nautical honor; the ex- captain of the Australian football team a sports advocate; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the global tournament. Detention and Unfair Trial The athlete was detained in early 2020. The allegations against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and ruin of government belongings”. His ruling has been annulled on two occasions but on the fourth of October it was maintained on the latest review. His legal proceedings was condemned as “grossly unfair” by advocates and groups. Call to International Body The urging to prevent the athlete's death sentence is subsequent to a previous statement to the United Nations official for freedoms, signed by over one hundred human rights experts and organizations, calling for intervention to avert the competitor's execution. Capital Punishment Escalation According to findings, there is an “execution crisis in the country, which has attained shocking proportions”. In the year 2023, authorities sentenced at least over 850 people – a 48% rise on the previous year. The year before, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in 2025. Political prisoners and opponents are focus, particularly in the wake of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the government have employed the executions to quell protest, instil fear among the population and strengthen their grip on power.