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Over two dozen Olympic medallists, coaches and other global sports figures have signed a statement calling for a stop to the execution of a boxing titleholder and instructor, who is sentenced to die in Iran.

Escalating Global Anger

During growing global condemnation over the country's increasing application of the death penalty as a instrument of oppression, the powerfully expressed appeal censures the government's decision to maintain the capital punishment of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani.

The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in the northern province, was arrested for being involved in nationwide protests in 2019 and indicted of aiding an opposition group. He has passed 60 months in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion.

“Competition is meant to promote optimism, solidarity, and bravery,” the endorsers wrote. “The execution of a winner for his opinions is a blatant attack on these values and a warning to all sportspeople who ventures to voice opinions.

History of Putting to Death Competitors

The appeal pointed out that Vafaei Sani’s situation was part of a pattern and highlighted the nation's past of executing athletes for their beliefs, including Habib Khabiri, leader of the football side, and a women's sports leader, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, an athlete, a young national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Further endorsers to the statement include a yachting pioneer, who led the inaugural all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a renowned sailing award; the ex- skipper of the national squad a sports advocate; and Bahram Mavaddat, who was in the national team for the global tournament.

Apprehension and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was arrested in early 2020. The accusations against him entailed “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of public property”. His ruling has been reversed twice but on October 4 it was maintained on the latest review. His legal proceedings was denounced as “highly unjust” by rights defenders and bodies.

Call to UN

The call to prevent the boxer's death sentence comes after a earlier letter to the global human rights chief for freedoms, signed by more than a hundred rights specialists and groups, demanding action to prevent the competitor's death.

Death Penalty Surge

As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the country, which has achieved shocking levels”. In 2023, the government put to death at least 853 people – a 48% increase on the previous year. The year before, data showed 972 deaths, marking the maximum count since 2015. Over 800 people have been sentenced so far in the current year.

Activists and opponents are focus, notably in the aftermath of the the year 2022 protests. Specialists say the Iranian authorities have used the capital punishment to suppress protest, create apprehension among the public and tighten their control on authority.