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In excess of 20 Olympic medal winners, trainers and additional international athletes have put their names to a appeal demanding a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and instructor, who is sentenced to die in the country.

Escalating International Outrage

Amidst growing international outrage over the country's escalating use of capital punishment as a means of oppression, the powerfully expressed statement censures the authorities's decision to confirm the death sentence of the athlete.

The athlete, three decades old, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and charged of supporting an dissident organization. He has endured half a decade in detention, where he has been mistreated and held in seclusion.

“Athletics is intended to inspire faith, unity, and fortitude,” the supporters stated. “The execution of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to every athlete who ventures to express dissent.

Pattern of Killing Competitors

The letter said that Vafaei Sani’s circumstances was not unique and underscored the nation's past of sentencing to death sports champions for their beliefs, such as a national team leader, captain of the football side, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, a wrestling champion, a 27-year national competitor, was put to death.

Additional endorsers to the statement comprise a yachting pioneer, who led the inaugural female-only team in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a renowned yachting trophy; the ex- leader of the Australian football team an athlete; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the country's selection for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Unfair Trial

The boxer was arrested in March 2020. The accusations against him entailed “promoting decay on Earth through incendiarism and damage of government belongings”. His verdict has been annulled multiple times but on 4 October it was confirmed on the latest review. His legal proceedings was denounced as “deeply biased” by human rights activists and groups.

Appeal to United Nations

The call to prevent Vafaei Sani’s execution is subsequent to a previous statement to the United Nations official for human rights, backed by more than one hundred rights specialists and organizations, calling for measures to stop the sports figure's execution.

Execution Crisis

As per data, there is an “execution crisis in the country, which has attained alarming dimensions”. In 2023, officials executed at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on the previous year. The year before, records showed nine hundred seventy-two deaths, marking the maximum count since two thousand fifteen. Over eight hundred people have been put to death so far in 2025.

Activists and dissidents are targets, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's protests. Specialists say the government have employed the capital punishment to stifle opposition, create apprehension among the population and reinforce their control on power.