Iran Executes Climber, Six More Athletes Face Hanging

Six Iranian athletes are scheduled to face execution after the supreme court upheld their death sentences, according to Human Rights for Sport. The group, based in Oslo, stated this follows the recent execution of mountain climber Ali-Sina Mostafavi. Mostafavi was hanged on October 14, 2026.

Mostafavi had documented climbs of major peaks, including Mount Everest. Authorities arrested him in April 2026, shortly after anti-government protests. He was accused of acting as an armed agent of the American-Zionist enemy. The specific charges alleged he opened fire on civilians in Azadi Square in Kerman on March 24 and participated in the January demonstrations. His sentence was confirmed by the supreme court at the end of September.

The organization reports that six more athletes currently have death sentences that have been upheld. These individuals include swimmer Ali Pishevarzadeh and footballer Ehsan Hosseinpour. Both were arrested during the January protests. The list also includes boxer Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who was detained in 2020 for participating in protests in 2019. His request for a retrial was rejected last year.

Other condemned athletes include mixed martial arts fighter Benyamin Naghdi, equestrian Taraneh Rahimi, and climber Maryam Siri. All received death sentences this year. Human Rights for Sport notes that six athletes have already been executed in cases linked to the January protests or earlier political charges. This count includes the recent deaths of taekwondo athlete Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi in early October and mixed martial arts fighter Gholamreza Khani Shakarab in May.

Dr. Zohreh Abdollahkhani of Human Rights for Sport described the pressure on the Iranian sporting community as enormous. She noted that international attention temporarily halted the execution of one individual, but the threat remains for the others. The group believes officials target athletes to send a message to the wider population. State-run media often provide widespread coverage of these executions. A previous example is wrestler Navid Afkari Sangari, who was executed in September 2020.

Abdollahkhani explained that contacting those on death row is difficult because security services often target their families. In one case, a condemned athlete's sister and brother-in-law were arrested, and the family's phone lines were placed under surveillance. This made direct contact impossible. The organization stated that 217 Iranian athletes were killed by direct gunfire in January, with more than 100 others detained.

Four members of the European parliament wrote to Fifa before the World Cup regarding athletes facing execution. Abdollahkhani said the group received no response to their letter. A Fifa spokesperson stated that the governing body is aware of the concerns and thanks stakeholders for their collaboration. The spokesperson added that Fifa remains dedicated to raising awareness of these critical matters.

The International Olympic Committee also responded to the situation. The IOC disputed Abdollahkhani's account that staffing changes hindered its human rights structures. It stated that its human rights and safeguarding teams are fully functioning. The IOC said it is deeply concerned about athletes affected by events in Iran but lacks the authority to change a sovereign country's laws as a non-governmental organization.

The IOC stated it works with national Olympic committees and international federations to support safe sporting environments. The organization said it will continue to use sports diplomacy to support athletes globally. It remains in touch with the Olympic community of Iran.