🔗 Share this article Sports Champions Urge on Iranian Authorities to Stop Death Sentence of Champion Boxer More than 20 Olympic medal winners, coaches and other global sports figures have signed a letter demanding a stop to the capital punishment of a boxing champion and coach, who is facing execution in the country. Escalating Worldwide Condemnation Amid growing worldwide anger over the country's increasing application of the death penalty as a means of oppression, the forcefully phrased appeal censures the government's verdict to maintain the execution order of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The boxer, three decades old, from Mashhad in north-east Iran, was taken into custody for participating in national uprisings in 2019 and accused of aiding an resistance movement. He has endured half a decade in detention, where he has been mistreated and confined in seclusion. “Competition is designed to encourage hope, unity, and courage,” the supporters expressed. “The execution of a titleholder for his political views is a direct assault on these ideals and a admonition to every athlete who ventures to voice opinions. History of Killing Competitors The appeal pointed out that the athlete's situation was not unique and emphasized Iran’s record of putting to death athletes for their beliefs, such as a football captain, leader of the soccer squad, and a women's sports leader, skipper of the national women’s volleyball team. In 2020, Navid Afkari, a 27-year national wrestling champion, was put to death. Additional endorsers to the letter consist of a sailing champion, who skippered the inaugural female-only team in a global yacht race and was the first woman to earn a prestigious nautical honor; the previous leader of the soccer side an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the Iranian squad for the 1978 World Cup. Arrest and Unjust Proceedings The athlete was detained in early 2020. The charges against him included “spreading corruption on Earth through fire-setting and destruction of government belongings”. His verdict has been annulled twice but on the fourth of October it was confirmed on the latest review. His trial was criticized as “highly unjust” by human rights activists and bodies. Call to United Nations The call to stop the athlete's execution comes after a previous appeal to the United Nations official for freedoms, backed by over 100 advocates and organizations, urging intervention to prevent the competitor's execution. Capital Punishment Escalation As per data, there is an “capital punishment escalation in the nation, which has achieved horrific levels”. In 2023, officials put to death at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on 2022. In the prior period, statistics showed nine hundred seventy-two capital punishments, constituting the maximum count since 2015. More than eight hundred people have been put to death so far in the current year. Activists and protesters are victims, notably in the aftermath of the the year 2022 demonstrations. Specialists say the regime have used the executions to stifle protest, create fear among the public and strengthen their control on rule.