Olympians Urge on Iran to Stop Death Sentence of Boxing Champion

Over two dozen Olympic medallists, trainers and additional global sports figures have put their names to a appeal calling for a halt to the execution of a champion boxer and trainer, who is sentenced to die in Iran.

Growing Worldwide Condemnation

Amidst growing worldwide anger over Iran’s expanding employment of capital punishment as a tool of repression, the powerfully expressed statement condemns the Iranian regime's decision to confirm the execution order of the athlete.

The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was arrested for participating in nationwide protests in the year 2019 and charged of supporting an opposition group. He has spent half a decade in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion.

“Sport is designed to promote faith, solidarity, and courage,” the signatories stated. “The capital punishment of a winner for his beliefs is a direct assault on these ideals and a caution to all sportspeople who dares to speak out.

History of Killing Sports Figures

The letter pointed out that the boxer's circumstances was part of a pattern and underscored the nation's history of sentencing to death athletes for their views, such as a football captain, captain of the national football team, and a volleyball captain, leader of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, a wrestling champion, a young national competitor, was put to death.

Additional signatories to the statement include Tracy Edwards, who skippered the inaugural women's squad in a round-the-world competition and was the initial female to receive a prestigious yachting trophy; the previous 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

Vafaei Sani was detained in early 2020. The charges against him included “promoting decay on Earth through arson and destruction of state assets”. His verdict has been overturned twice but on 4 October it was maintained on the third attempt. His trial was denounced as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and organizations.

Call to UN

The call to stop Vafaei Sani’s death sentence comes after a earlier appeal to the global human rights chief for human rights, backed by over one hundred advocates and entities, calling for measures to avert the sports figure's capital punishment.

Death Penalty Surge

According to data, there is an “death penalty surge in Iran, which has achieved horrific levels”. In the year 2023, authorities executed at least over 850 people – a forty-eight percent rise on the previous year. In the prior period, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, marking the highest number since 2015. More than 800 people have been put to death so far in the current year.

Dissidents and dissidents are victims, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022 protests. Specialists say the regime have used the executions to suppress protest, generate fear among the citizenry and tighten their grip on authority.