A coalition of prominent athletes, Olympians, and sports personalities from around the world has launched an urgent appeal to prevent the execution of Iranian boxing champion and coach Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, warning that Iran’s authorities are increasingly targeting athletes and protesters through the death penalty.
The campaign is led by internationally respected figures including Martina Navratilova and Sharron Davies, who have joined more than twenty athletes in calling on governments, international sports organizations, and the United Nations to intervene before it is too late.
At the center of the appeal is Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 31-year-old boxing champion and coach who was arrested after taking part in the nationwide protests that swept Iran in 2019. Iranian authorities later charged him with “corruption on earth,” an accusation that can carry the death penalty. Human rights advocates argue that his case reflects a broader pattern in which political dissent is criminalized and punished with extreme sentences.
In their statement, the athletes warn that Iran is experiencing one of its harshest waves of political repression in decades. They point to a series of executions carried out against protesters and dissidents following contested trials and alleged forced confessions. The signatories argue that the authorities are using fear and intimidation to prevent future demonstrations and silence opposition voices.
The appeal also highlights the fate of several young athletes who have reportedly been executed after being accused of political offenses. Among those mentioned are champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi and karate athlete Sasan Azadvar Joonaghan, whose deaths generated outrage among human rights campaigners and members of the international sports community.
Campaigners emphasize that this is not a new phenomenon. They note that Iran has a long history of persecuting athletes for their political beliefs or affiliations. The statement recalls the executions of former national football captain Habib Khabiri and women’s volleyball captain Forouzan Abdi, as well as wrestler Navid Afkari, whose execution in 2020 drew widespread international condemnation.
The athletes behind the campaign argue that sport should represent courage, unity, and human dignity—not punishment for expressing political views. They contend that the execution of athletes sends a chilling message to anyone who uses their public platform to speak out against injustice.
As pressure mounts, the signatories are urging international sports federations, governments, and human rights institutions to take immediate action to save Vafaei Sani and other prisoners facing execution. Their message is clear: the world cannot remain silent while athletes and dissidents risk losing their lives for exercising fundamental freedoms.