Concerns are mounting over Iranian athletes facing execution following the recent hanging of mountaineer Ali-Sina Mostafavi. Mostafavi, known for documenting his climbs of major peaks including Mount Everest, was executed on October 14. He had been arrested in April after participating in anti-government protests earlier that year. His execution follows the deaths of taekwondo athlete Siavash Jashmidi Kheirabadi in early October and mixed martial arts fighter Gholamreza Khani Shakarab, who was executed in May.
Human Rights for Sport, an Oslo-based group of former Iranian athletes monitoring the situation, has reported that at least six more athletes are currently at risk of execution after Iran’s supreme court upheld their death sentences. These include swimmer Ali Pishevarzadeh and footballer Ehsan Hosseinpour, both detained during protests in January 2023, and boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who was arrested in 2020 for involvement in protests a year earlier. Vafaei Sani’s request for a retrial was rejected in 2025.
Additional athletes facing death sentences this year include mixed martial arts fighter Bemyamin Naghdi, equestrian Tareanh Rahimi, and climber Maryam Siri. Human Rights for Sport has confirmed that six athletes have already been executed in connection with the January protests or related political charges.
Dr. Zohreh Abdollahkhani, a representative of Human Rights for Sport, said the Iranian sporting community is under “enormous pressure.” She noted that while intervention helped temporarily halt one execution, concerns remain for all those sentenced. The group believes that athletes are targeted to send a broader message to the population, pointing to the widely publicized execution of wrestler Navid Afkari Sangari in September 2020 as an example. Sangari’s death was interpreted as a warning by authorities about the consequences of dissent.
Mostafavi’s death sentence was confirmed by the supreme court in late September. Reports indicate he endured physical abuse while detained in Kerman before being placed in solitary confinement. Authorities accused him of acting as an “armed agent of the American-Zionist enemy” and alleged he opened fire on civilians in Azadi Square, Kerman, on March 24, as well as participating in the January protests. His family was reportedly summoned to the prison shortly before his execution.
Efforts to maintain contact with sentenced athletes have been hampered by ongoing surveillance and intimidation of their families. Abdollahkhani cited cases where relatives have been arrested and family communications closely monitored, making direct communication extremely difficult.
Human Rights for Sport also documented that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by gunfire during the January protests, with over 100 others detained. Four members of the European Parliament addressed concerns about Iranian athletes facing execution in a letter to FIFA ahead of the World Cup, though no response was reportedly received.
In response, a FIFA spokesperson acknowledged awareness of the issues and expressed appreciation for ongoing efforts to highlight the situation. Meanwhile, Abdollahkhani criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for staff changes that, she said, complicated human rights engagement. The IOC disputed this claim, affirming that its human rights and safeguarding teams remain fully operational. The organization emphasized its commitment to supporting athletes and promoting a safe sporting environment but noted its limited ability to influence Iran’s sovereign legal and political decisions.
The IOC stated it continues to engage with all Olympic stakeholders, including the Iranian Olympic community, to support athletes globally through sports diplomacy.