Key facts
- 24 athletes, including Olympians, signed a letter urging intervention against Iran's execution of athletes.
- Iranian boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani faces imminent execution.
- Sani was arrested in March 2020 after participating in protests and charged with 'corruption on earth'.
- The letter cites past executions of athletes like Navid Afkari, Saleh Mohammadi, and Sasan Azadvar Joonaghan.
- The signatories call on the UN, sports federations, and governments to act to save Iranian dissidents and athletes.
A coalition of 24 athletes, including Olympians Martina Navratilova and Sharron Davies, have signed an open letter urging international bodies to intervene against Iran's planned execution of boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. Sani, a 31-year-old coach, was arrested in March 2020 following his participation in protests and faces a charge of 'corruption on earth,' a capital offense. The letter highlights Iran's history of executing athletes and dissidents, citing the cases of wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, karate champion Sasan Azadvar Joonaghan, former football captain Habib Khabiri, volleyball captain Forouzan Abdi, and wrestling champion Navid Afkari. The signatories call on the United Nations, international sports federations, and governments to act immediately to save the lives of Iranian dissidents and athletes, stating the world must not stand by while Iran silences its champions. The letter also notes a recent crackdown in Iran, with dozens executed following unfair trials and coerced confessions, occurring under the cover of war to suppress dissent.