A group of prominent international and Iranian athletes issued a joint statement addressed to the United Nations, international sports federations, and governments, calling for the urgent rescue of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach, whose execution they said is imminent.
Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani has been sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth through arson and destruction of public property.”
Babak Paknia, the attorney for Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who was among the protesters in November 2019, stated that his client’s death sentence has been upheld by Branch 9 of Iran’s Supreme Court, despite “numerous flaws” in the case.
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The statement was signed by a group of prominent athletes, including Martina Navrátilová, former world number one tennis player from the United States; Sharron Davies, British Olympic medalist swimmer; Riley Gaines, American swimmer and twelve-time U.S. national champion; Craig Andrew Foster, former captain of Australia’s national soccer team; and Bahram Mavedat, former goalkeeper of Iran’s national soccer team, along with other renowned sports figures.
“We, athletes and sports figures from around the world, strongly condemn the Iranian regime’s decision on 4 October 2025 to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach from Mashhad,” the letter writes.
In their statement, they strongly condemned the Iranian regime’s October 4, 2025 decision to uphold the execution sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach from Mashhad.
They emphasized that Mohammad Javad has spent over five years in prison under torture and solitary confinement, solely for participating in the pro-democracy protests of 2019 and for supporting the democratic opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
The statement adds that his case is not the only tragedy. The Iranian regime has a dark record of executing athletes for their beliefs. These include Habib Khabiri, former captain of Iran’s national soccer team, and Forouzan Abdi, captain of the women’s national volleyball team, the latter of whom was executed in the 1988 massacre alongside 30,000 political prisoners. In 2020, Iranian wrestling champion Navid Afkari was also hanged after participating in peaceful protests in 2018.
The signatory athletes also stressed that in recent months, Iranian regime authorities have executed many other protesters on similarly baseless charges, without any accountability. These political executions are a brutal attempt by the regime to intimidate and silence a population no longer willing to tolerate a corrupt and oppressive rule. Sport should inspire hope, unity, and courage. Executing an athlete for his political views is a direct attack on these values and a warning to every athlete who dares to speak out.
They called on the United Nations, international sports federations, and governments to take immediate action to save the life of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The world must not stay silent while the voices of Iran’s champions are silenced.
The signatories of this statement are as follows:
Martina Navrátilová (Czech Republic / United States); former world number one tennis player
Sharron Davies (United Kingdom), Olympic medalist swimmer
Riley Gaines (United States), twelve-time NCAA national swimming champion
Craig Andrew Foster (Australia), former captain of the Australian national football team
Tracy Edwards (United Kingdom), 1990 Yachtswoman of the Year; skipper of the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race
Carilyn Johnson (United States), endurance runner; four-time U.S. national team member, winner of two gold and one silver world medals in 24-hour ultramarathons
Ali Ziaei (Canada), national Sanshou champion; member of Canada’s Wushu national team
Inga Thompson (United States), cyclist; three-time Olympian, ten-time U.S. national champion, and three-time world medalist
Kim McGinnis Russell (United States), former head coach of women’s lacrosse at Oberlin College; Member, Women in Sport Commission, World Lacrosse (2024)
Nancy Hogshead Makar (United States), swimmer; three-time Olympic gold medalist
Dr. Linda Blade (Canada), coach; national track and field champion and NCAA All-American
Bahram Modat (Iran), former goalkeeper of Iran’s national football team
Patricia Reid (United Kingdom), rower; four-time national champion, silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games
Marissa Williamson Pohlman (Australia), Olympic boxer; gold medalist at the 2023 Pacific Games
Florent Betorangal (France), martial artist; former champion of the “100% Fight” organization
André Matias (Angola), Olympic rower; double silver medalist in African Championships
Monica Aksamit (United States), saber fencer; Olympic bronze medalist and Pan American Games gold medalist
Shea McAleese (New Zealand), Olympic field hockey player; silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games
Asghar Adibi (Iran), former player of Iran’s national football team
Brendan Schwab (Australia), former executive director of the World Players Association
Milad Sharif (United States), wrestler; 2025 U.S. beach wrestling gold medalist.
