🔗 Share this article

More than 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and further global sports figures have endorsed a letter demanding a halt to the execution of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is sentenced to die in the nation.

Escalating Global Anger

Amidst rising international outrage over the country's expanding employment of the death penalty as a instrument of suppression, the strongly worded letter denounces the Iranian regime's decision to maintain the capital punishment of the athlete.

Vafaei Sani, three decades old, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in two thousand nineteen and accused of supporting an dissident organization. He has passed 60 months in incarceration, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion.

“Athletics is designed to encourage hope, togetherness, and bravery,” the endorsers wrote. “The death penalty of a winner for his opinions is a direct assault on these ideals and a warning to all sportspeople who attempts to speak out.

Pattern of Putting to Death Athletes

The letter noted that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was part of a pattern and highlighted the nation's record of sentencing to death athletes for their views, including a national team leader, skipper of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, captain of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, Navid Afkari, a 27-year national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Additional endorsers to the appeal comprise Tracy Edwards, who captained the first female-only team in a international sailing event and was the initial female to receive a esteemed sailing award; the previous captain of the soccer side Craig Foster; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the international competition.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was arrested in March 2020. The allegations against him included “causing deterioration on Earth through arson and destruction of government belongings”. His ruling has been reversed twice but on 4 October it was upheld on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by human rights activists and groups.

Call to UN

The call to stop Vafaei Sani’s capital punishment is subsequent to a previous statement to the global human rights chief for human rights, endorsed by over 100 advocates and organizations, urging action to stop the competitor's capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

According to reports, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has achieved alarming proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, officials sentenced at least 853 people – a 48% increase on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed 972 deaths, marking the peak figure since 2015. In excess of 800 people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Activists and opponents are victims, notably in the aftermath of the 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have used the capital punishment to stifle opposition, create apprehension among the population and strengthen their grip on authority.