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Over two dozen Olympic medallists, trainers and further world-class competitors have signed a statement calling for a halt to the capital punishment of a boxing titleholder and trainer, who is on death row in the nation.

Growing Global Anger

Amidst increasing global condemnation over Iran’s escalating use of capital punishment as a instrument of repression, the powerfully expressed appeal condemns the government's ruling to uphold the death sentence of the boxing champion.

The boxer, three decades old, from the city in the northeastern region, was detained for being involved in countrywide demonstrations in the year 2019 and indicted of backing an resistance movement. He has endured five years in prison, where he has been abused and held in seclusion.

“Competition is intended to inspire hope, unity, and bravery,” the signatories expressed. “The capital punishment of a winner for his beliefs is a blatant attack on these ideals and a warning to any competitor who ventures to express dissent.

Record of Killing Competitors

The appeal said that the athlete's case was not an isolated one and highlighted the country's past of putting to death athletes for their convictions, such as Habib Khabiri, captain of the football side, and a volleyball captain, captain of the women's volleyball squad. In 2020, a wrestling champion, a young national competitor, was also executed.

Additional signatories to the appeal include a yachting pioneer, who led the pioneering female-only team in a international sailing event and was the pioneering lady to be awarded a renowned nautical honor; the previous skipper of the national squad a sports advocate; and a footballer, who was in the country's selection for the international competition.

Arrest and Flawed Legal Process

The athlete was arrested in the spring of 2020. The charges against him comprised “promoting decay on Earth through fire-setting and damage of state assets”. His sentence has been overturned on two occasions but on October 4 it was upheld on the third occasion. His trial was condemned as “grossly unfair” by human rights activists and bodies.

Urging to International Body

The call to stop the athlete's execution comes after a earlier appeal to the United Nations official for rights, signed by more than 100 advocates and organizations, demanding intervention to stop the competitor's execution.

Capital Punishment Escalation

As per reports, there is an “execution crisis in Iran, which has reached horrific dimensions”. In the year 2023, officials sentenced at least 853 people – a forty-eight percent increase on 2022. The year before, statistics showed 972 capital punishments, constituting the peak figure since the year 2015. Over eight hundred people have been executed so far in 2025.

Dissidents and opponents are victims, especially in the aftermath of the 2022 uprising. Specialists say the government have employed the executions to quell protest, create anxiety among the citizenry and reinforce their control on rule.