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Over 20 Olympic medallists, trainers and other global sports figures have signed a statement calling for a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and instructor, who is facing execution in the country.

Growing International Outrage

Amid increasing worldwide anger over the nation's expanding employment of capital punishment as a instrument of suppression, the powerfully expressed statement denounces the Iranian regime's decision to uphold the execution order of the athlete.

The athlete, 30, from Mashhad in the northern province, was detained for being involved in national uprisings in the year 2019 and indicted of supporting an resistance movement. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been mistreated and confined in solitary confinement.

“Sport is meant to inspire optimism, solidarity, and fortitude,” the signatories wrote. “The execution of a champion for his opinions is a blatant attack on these principles and a warning to any competitor who ventures to voice opinions.

Record of Killing Sports Figures

The statement said that the boxer's situation was not unique and underscored the country's history of putting to death competitors for their views, including Habib Khabiri, leader of the soccer squad, and Fourouzan Abdi, skipper of the national women’s volleyball team. In two thousand twenty, an athlete, a 27-year-old national sports titleholder, faced the death penalty.

Additional signatories to the statement include a sailing champion, who led the first female-only team in a global yacht race and was the first woman to be awarded a prestigious yachting trophy; the ex- leader of the national squad an athlete; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Detention and Unfair Trial

The boxer was taken into custody in early 2020. The accusations against him entailed “causing deterioration on Earth through fire-setting and damage of government belongings”. His ruling has been annulled twice but on 4 October it was maintained on the third occasion. His legal proceedings was criticized as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and groups.

Call to UN

The call to halt the athlete's execution is subsequent to a earlier statement to the UN high commissioner for human rights, endorsed by over 100 human rights experts and entities, calling for intervention to avert the sports figure's execution.

Death Penalty Surge

Based on reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the country, which has achieved horrific proportions”. In two thousand twenty-three, authorities sentenced at least over 850 people – a nearly half rise on 2022. Last year, statistics showed nearly a thousand deaths, constituting the highest number since two thousand fifteen. In excess of 800 people have been sentenced so far in 2025.

Activists and protesters are focus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2022's demonstrations. Analysts say the Iranian authorities have employed the executions to quell protest, create anxiety among the citizenry and tighten their hold on authority.