Express Mon, Dec 8, 2025: Human rights campaigner and former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies has spoken out with fierce condemnation after Iran upheld the death sentence of 30-year-old boxing champion and coach Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The boxer, who reportedly has links to pro-democracy protests, was transferred to a prison known for executions — prompting what Davies calls a “triumph of evil.” Iran 1988 Massacre+2Muck Rack+2
Vafaei Sani’s case has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations and the international sports community alike. He was arrested in 2020 for participating in the nationwide protests of 2019. Charged with “spreading corruption on Earth,” his death sentence was handed down after what critics describe as a grossly unfair trial. Although the sentence was briefly overturned twice, Iran’s Supreme Court reinstated it on 4 October 2025. Iran 1988 Massacre+2Madhyamam+2
In reaction, Sharron Davies — along with more than 20 other former Olympians and high-profile sports figures — signed an open letter calling for his execution to be halted. The letter demands immediate intervention by international bodies, including governments, sports federations and the United Nations. The Guardian+2Fox News+2
Davies has repeatedly warned that the West should stop soft-pedalling its response to the regime in Tehran. She reminds the world of a stark history: following a 1988 edict by Iran’s former Supreme Leader, thousands of athletes, dissenters and activists were executed for resisting the regime. Davies argues that failing to act now enables a return to that dark era. Muck Rack+1
The growing campaign has received support not just from former Olympians and sporting icons, but also from human rights groups who say that Vafaei Sani’s trial violated basic principles of justice. The case forms part of a worrying trend: 2025 has witnessed a surge of executions in Iran, many targeting dissidents, protestors, and outspoken activists — with sportspeople included. The Guardian+1
Supporters of the boxer are urging international organisations to press Iran to commute Vafaei Sani’s sentence — stressing that his execution would mark a grave warning to anyone daring to challenge the regime’s crackdown on dissent. They argue that executing a globally recognised athlete for his political voice would further erode any pretense of fairness or human rights protection in Iran. Madhyamam+2Iran 1988 Massacre+2
Though the death sentence remains in place for now, the international outcry — amplified by Davies — is a reminder that Vafaei Sani’s fate is not just about one individual. As Davies and her fellow signatories stress, it’s a litmus test for how seriously the global community is prepared to treat human rights abuses when sport, politics, and morality collide. The Guardian+2Muck Rack+2