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In excess of two dozen Olympic medallists, trainers and other world-class competitors have signed a appeal calling for a end to the capital punishment of a champion boxer and trainer, who is on death row in Iran.

Growing International Outrage

Amidst increasing international outrage over the nation's increasing application of executions as a tool of oppression, the strongly worded statement censures the government's verdict to confirm the death sentence of the athlete.

The athlete, thirty, from Mashhad in the northeastern region, was arrested for taking part in national uprisings in the year 2019 and indicted of backing an opposition group. He has spent 60 months in prison, where he has been tortured and kept in seclusion.

“Competition is meant to promote optimism, solidarity, and fortitude,” the endorsers stated. “The capital punishment of a titleholder for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these principles and a warning to every athlete who ventures to express dissent.

Record of Putting to Death Athletes

The statement said that the boxer's situation was not an isolated one and highlighted Iran’s history of executing athletes for their beliefs, including a national team leader, leader of the national football team, and a women's sports leader, skipper of the female volleyball side. In two thousand twenty, a wrestling champion, a 27-year national sports titleholder, was put to death.

Other endorsers to the statement consist of a sailing champion, who captained the inaugural all-female crew in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to earn a prestigious yachting trophy; the former captain of the soccer side Craig Foster; and a footballer, who was in the national team for the 1978 World Cup.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was taken into custody in early 2020. The accusations against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through incendiarism and destruction of state assets”. His verdict has been reversed on two occasions but on 4 October it was confirmed on the third attempt. His trial was criticized as “grossly unfair” by rights defenders and bodies.

Call to International Body

The appeal to stop the boxer's execution is subsequent to a previous statement to the UN high commissioner for human rights, signed by over one hundred advocates and entities, calling for intervention to avert the sports figure's capital punishment.

Capital Punishment Escalation

Based on reports, there is an “death penalty surge in the nation, which has attained alarming proportions”. In the year 2023, authorities sentenced at least over 850 people – a 48% increase on 2022. In the prior period, data showed nearly a thousand executions, marking the peak figure since two thousand fifteen. In excess of 800 people have been executed so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are targets, especially in the aftermath of the 2022's uprising. Analysts say the regime have used the capital punishment to suppress opposition, create fear among the population and strengthen their hold on power.