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Over twenty Olympic champions, mentors and other world-class competitors have signed a appeal demanding a end to the execution of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is facing execution in the nation.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst rising global condemnation over the nation's increasing application of the death penalty as a means of oppression, the strongly worded statement censures the Iranian regime's ruling to uphold the execution order of the boxing champion.

The boxer, thirty, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was arrested for taking part in national uprisings in 2019 and charged of supporting an resistance movement. He has passed 60 months in detention, where he has been abused and kept in solitary confinement.

“Competition is meant to encourage faith, solidarity, and courage,” the endorsers stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to any competitor who dares to express dissent.

Pattern of Killing Sports Figures

The appeal said that Vafaei Sani’s situation was not an isolated one and underscored Iran’s past of sentencing to death athletes for their views, including a football captain, leader of the soccer squad, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In the year 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, was put to death.

Further signatories to the statement consist of a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural all-female crew in a global yacht race and was the first woman to receive a prestigious yachting trophy; the ex- skipper of the national squad Craig Foster; and a sports figure, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Apprehension and Unfair Trial

The athlete was taken into custody in early 2020. The charges against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through arson and destruction of government belongings”. His sentence has been overturned multiple times but on October 4 it was confirmed on the third occasion. His court case was condemned as “highly unjust” by advocates and organizations.

Call to International Body

The call to halt the boxer's capital punishment follows a earlier statement to the global human rights chief for rights, signed by in excess of one hundred human rights experts and groups, calling for action to prevent the competitor's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on reports, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has attained alarming levels”. In 2023, the government put to death at least over 850 people – a nearly half rise on the previous year. The year before, data showed nine hundred seventy-two executions, constituting the highest number since 2015. In excess of eight hundred people have been executed so far in 2025.

Dissidents and dissidents are targets, especially in the wake of the 2022's demonstrations. Experts say the government have used the executions to suppress dissent, create fear among the citizenry and tighten their hold on authority.