Fears mount for Iranian athletes on death row as mountaineer Ali-Sina Mostafavi executed

Human rights group warns at least six more sportspeople face execution after sentences upheld

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published27 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Fears are growing for Iranian athletes facing execution after mountaineer Ali-Sina Mostafavi was hanged on 14 October, the latest in a string of sportspeople killed by the regime. Human Rights for Sport, a group of former Iranian athletes based in Oslo, has warned that at least six more are at risk after their death sentences were upheld by Iran’s supreme court.

Mostafavi, who documented ascents of some of the world’s highest peaks including Mount Everest, was arrested in April after anti-government protests earlier in the year and accused of being an “armed agent of the American-Zionist enemy”. His execution follows the killing of taekwondo athlete Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi at the start of October and mixed martial arts fighter Gholamreza Khani Shakarab, who was hanged in May.

Human Rights for Sport said six athletes have already been executed in cases linked to the January protests or earlier political charges. Those now facing execution include swimmer Ali Pishevarzadeh, footballer Ehsan Hosseinpour, boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, MMA fighter Benyamin Naghdi, equestrian athlete Taraneh Rahimi, and climber Maryam Siri.

Dr Zohreh Abdollahkhani of Human Rights for Sport said making contact with those sentenced is a challenge. “In one case, his sister and brother-in-law have been arrested and the whole family’s phone lines are under surveillance. So it’s simply impossible to make direct contact.” She believes athletes are targeted to send a message, citing wrestler Navid Afkari Sangari, executed in September 2020: “He was a role model and very famous in the whole community. What happened to him was also a warning to the whole population: look what we can do to someone like this.”

Abdollahkhani criticised FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for their responses. A FIFA spokesperson said the organisation is “aware of the concerns raised regarding the situation of Iranian athletes and thanks all stakeholders for their continued collaboration and dedication to raising awareness of these critical matters.” The IOC disputed her account, saying it had “fully functioning human rights and safeguarding teams” and is deeply concerned but lacks authority to change a sovereign country’s laws. It said it works “tirelessly with all stakeholders of the Olympic movement” to support athletes through sports diplomacy.

Human Rights for Sport has found that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by direct gunfire in January, and more than 100 others detained.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The executions signal a brutal crackdown on dissent in Iran, targeting prominent figures to deter wider protest.
International sports bodies face pressure to take stronger action, but their limited authority raises questions about accountability.
The fate of at least six more athletes hangs in the balance, with little visibility into legal processes or prison conditions.

Background

Iran has faced widespread protests over economic and political grievances, with authorities responding with arrests and executions. Athletes, as public figures, have been particularly vulnerable. The January protests saw significant state violence, with Human Rights for Sport documenting 217 athlete deaths from gunfire. International organisations like FIFA and the IOC have been criticised for not doing more to protect athletes, though they argue their mandate does not extend to changing national laws.

Key Perspectives

Human Rights for Sport: Says athletes are being executed to send a warning to the population, and that FIFA and the IOC have not responded adequately. Dr Abdollahkhani noted changes in IOC staffing made raising cases difficult. International Olympic Committee: Disputes the criticism, stating it has fully functioning human rights teams and is deeply concerned, but lacks authority to change Iran’s laws or political system. FIFA: Acknowledged awareness of the concerns and thanked stakeholders for raising awareness, without committing to specific action.

What to Watch

Whether international pressure or diplomatic efforts can halt the executions of the six athletes whose sentences have been upheld.
Any response from Iran’s government to international criticism, or further crackdowns on family members of detainees.
Actions by the IOC and FIFA beyond statements, including possible suspension of Iranian sporting bodies.

Sources

Fears grow for Iranian athletes on death row as mountaineer latest to be hanged · The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedFears are mounting for Iranian athletes on death row.World news | The Guardian: “Fears are growing for more Iranian athletes facing execution ... at least six more are facing execution after having their sentences upheld by Iran’s supreme court.”
SupportedAt least six more sportspeople face execution after their sentences were upheld.World news | The Guardian: “has warned that at least six more are facing execution after having their sentences upheld by Iran’s supreme court.”
SupportedAli-Sina Mostafavi was executed on 14 October.World news | The Guardian: “Mostafavi ... was executed on 14 October”
SupportedMostafavi was accused of being an “armed agent of the American-Zionist enemy”.World news | The Guardian: “He was accused of being an “armed agent of the American-Zionist enemy””
SupportedHuman Rights for Sport said six athletes had already been executed in cases linked to the January protests or earlier political charges.World news | The Guardian: “Human Rights for Sport said six athletes have already been executed in cases linked to the January protests or earlier political charges.”
SupportedThe six people named in the story are among those facing execution.World news | The Guardian: “They include the swimmer Ali Pishevarzadeh and the footballer Ehsan Hosseinpour ... Another MMA fighter, Benyamin Naghdi, equestrian athlete Taraneh Rahimi and the climber Maryam Siri have also been condemned to death this year.”
SupportedAbdollahkhani said: “In one case, his sister and brother-in-law have been arrested and the whole family’s phone lines are under surveillance. So it’s simply impossible to make direct contact.”World news | The Guardian: ““In one case, his sister and brother-in-law have been arrested and the whole family’s phone lines are under surveillance. So it’s simply impossible to make direct contact,” she said.”
Partly supportedAbdollahkhani believes athletes are targeted to send a message.World news | The Guardian: “Human Rights for Sport believe that athletes have been targeted to send a message to the wider community”
SupportedAbdollahkhani said of Navid Afkari Sangari: “He was a role model and very famous in the whole community. What happened to him was also a warning to the whole population: look what we can do to someone like this.”World news | The Guardian: ““He was a role model and very famous in the whole community. What happened to him was also a warning to the whole population: look what we can do to someone like this,” Abdollahkhani said.”
SupportedA FIFA spokesperson said the organisation was “aware of the concerns raised regarding the situation of Iranian athletes and thanks all stakeholders for their continued collaboration and dedication to raising awareness of these critical matters.”World news | The Guardian: ““Fifa is aware of the concerns raised regarding the situation of Iranian athletes and thanks all stakeholders for their continued collaboration and dedication to raising awareness of these critical matters,” a spokesperson for football’s governing body said.”
SupportedThe IOC said it had “fully functioning human rights and safeguarding teams”.World news | The Guardian: “The IOC disputed her account, saying it had “fully functioning human rights and safeguarding teams”.”
SupportedHuman Rights for Sport found that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by direct gunfire in January.World news | The Guardian: “Overall, Human Rights for Sport has found that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by direct gunfire in January”