Olympians speak out against Iran’s public execution of champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi

Saleh Mohammadi was only 19 years old

By Jackson Thompson Fox News – Published March 19, 2026 –

The execution of Iranian wrestling star Saleh Mohammadi left the sports world mourning Thursday.

Iran’s regime executed the 19-year-old man on Thursday. Mohammadi was reportedly killed in a public hanging, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents.

Iran International reported that Iran’s regime hanged Mohammadi and two additional Iranian men, Mehdi Ghasemiand and Saeed Davoudi, “after being accused of killing two police officers during nationwide protests earlier this year,” the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reported.

Multiple Olympians have shared their reactions to the execution with Fox News Digital.

Brandon Slay, Olympic gold medal wrestler at Sydney 2000

Brandon Slay of the U.S. during the men’s 76-kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling semifinal at the Exhibition Halls during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. (Ross Kinnaird/Allsport)

“As someone who has traveled to Iran for wrestling twice and welcomed Iranian athletes into our country, I’ve seen firsthand the dignity and heart of the Iranian people. That’s why it’s so heartbreaking to witness a terror regime execute a teenage wrestler,” Slay told Fox News Digital.

“My prayers are with Saleh Mohammadi’s family and all who are suffering. In the face of such oppression, I hold to the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only light that overcomes darkness and only truth that proclaims justice and mercy will one day prevail.”

Tyler Clary, US gold medal swimmer at London 2012

U.S. swimmer Tyler Clary celebrates winning gold in the men’s 200-meter backstroke final at the London 2012 Olympic Games Aug. 2, 2012, in London. (Christophe Simon/AFP)

“As an Olympic gold medalist, I’ve spent my life around athletes who represent the very best of human discipline and freedom. What we’re seeing in Iran — the execution of a wrestler after what appears to be a sham process — is a brutal reminder of what that regime stands for. This is exactly why strong leadership matters,” Clary told Fox News Digital.

“President Trump has been clear-eyed about the nature of this regime and the need to stand up to it, and moments like this prove why that approach is necessary.”

Kaillie Humphries, three-time gold medal bobsled athlete for US and Canada

“The actions of the Iranian regime are beyond abhorrent. Murdering any teenager for the ‘crime’ of speaking out is unacceptable. Murdering a teenager who was specifically targeted because he is a champion athlete and icon of his country is even worse,” Humphries told Fox News Digital.

“This is a sad day for the sporting community. It highlights the absolute unthinkable differences of freedom we have in the USA as athletes to speak our opinions. Yes, I may get a few mean comments on social media, but I don’t have to fear for my life. I pray there is justice for his family and freedom for their athletes.”

Eli Bremer, US modern pentathlete at Beijing 2008

Eli Bremer of the United States celebrates at the Fencing Hall during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Aug. 21, 2008, in Beijing, China. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

“I’m beyond disgusted by the actions of the Iranian regime today. Murdering a teenaged iconic athlete shows how deeply depraved the Iranian leadership is. President Trump has and continues to do the right thing to ensure this regime is destroyed. A regime that is willing to murder a teenaged athlete is a regime that would be willing to murder Americans if given the chance,” Bremmer told Fox News Digital.

“I will continue to support President Trump in taking the leadership to disarm Iran and ensure that the monsters running the country are never able to commit these atrocities against their citizens, Americans or our allies ever again.”

Katie Uhlaender, US skeleton athlete, five-time Olympian

Katie Uhlaender of the United States poses for a portrait during the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic shoot in Irvine, Calif., Sept. 12, 2021. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA)

“My heart breaks for this athlete and his family. What makes this more devastating is there were clear, urgent calls for action,” Uhlaender told Fox News Digital.

“These athletes did nothing wrong. They represented their sport and their country, and instead of being protected, they were left exposed to a system that failed to act when it mattered most.

“The United States is in a unique position to lead on this issue. Through sport diplomacy and international engagement, we have the ability to set a higher standard, one where athlete safety is non-negotiable, where warnings are acted upon and where governing bodies are held accountable for their failures to protect. Sport can serve as a symbol of integrity and unity. Action, not silence, must define our response moving forward.”

STATE DEPARTMENT DEMANDS IRAN HALT EXECUTION OF 19-YEAR-OLD WRESTLING STAR

AJ Edelman, Israel bobsled and skeleton athlete, two-time Olympian

Israel’s Adam Edelman takes off his helmet after a training session for the mens’s skeleton during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Olympic Sliding Centre Feb. 14, 2018. (Ohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)

“He was hanged for envisioning an Iran free from the predations of a regime now headed by an impotent nepo baby whose father thought him so incompetent he couldn’t run a lemonade stand. His sacrifice is proof that such a cause was just,” Edelman told Fox News Digital.

Sardar Pashaei, Iran youth world champion wrestler (non-Olympian)

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“This is only a glimpse of the regime’s brutality. A regime that kills its own people and now publicly executes a teenage athlete. For nearly 50 years, some politicians have tried to moderate this regime. They still don’t understand it. We do. We have lived under it. We carry its scars,” Pashaei told Fox News Digital.

“Iranian sport is no longer in the hands of athletes. It is controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, the same forces that suppress women, intimidate athletes abroad and threaten their families.

“Others are still at risk, and there is still time to save them. The world must act now. Saleh’s only ‘crime’ was protest. He went to the streets for freedom, for a future where protest is not a crime, where executions do not exist and where people are not held hostage by their own government.”

Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.

Iran hangs teen wrestling star in public as fury erupts over ‘tortured confession’

Story by Christelle May Napiza – March 19, 2026 – MSN

Iran’s execution of teenage wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi has ignited global outrage and intensified scrutiny of the country’s use of the death penalty, amid mounting allegations that his conviction relied on a confession extracted under torture.

The 19-year-old was hanged publicly on 19 March 2026 in Qom alongside two other men after being convicted of killing police officers during nationwide protests, according to Iranian judicial authorities. The case has rapidly become a flashpoint, drawing condemnation from human rights organisations, political figures and members of the international sporting community. Critics argue that the proceedings reflect deeper systemic concerns about due process and the treatment of detainees in politically sensitive cases.

Execution Follows Protest-Linked Conviction Under ‘Moharebeh’ Charges

Iran’s judiciary announced that Mohammadi and his co-defendants, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, were convicted of moharebeh (‘waging war against God’), a capital offence under Iranian law. According to statements published by Mizan Online, the verdict was upheld following judicial review, and the executions were carried out in accordance with legal procedures.

Authorities alleged that the men were involved in the killing of two police officers during protests that erupted in early January 2026. State-linked reports maintained that the case proceeded through a criminal court and that the sentence was confirmed prior to its public implementation.

However, the transparency of those proceedings has been widely contested. Independent observers have noted that full court documents, evidentiary records and interrogation transcripts have not been publicly released, limiting external scrutiny of the case. ainstagram: saleh.mohammadi95

Allegations Of Torture And Coerced Confession Raise Due Process Concerns

Human rights organisations have strongly challenged the integrity of the conviction, pointing to allegations that Mohammadi’s confession was obtained under duress. The Norway-based group Iran Human Rights stated on 19 March 2026 that claims of torture raised by the defendant were dismissed by the court without independent investigation.

In a separate statement, Amnesty International warned that the case reflected a broader pattern in which ‘torture-tainted confessions’ are used in capital prosecutions. The organisation called for full disclosure of legal proceedings, including access to defence representation records and forensic evidence.

According to reporting by IranWire, Mohammadi’s family maintained that he was not present at the scene of the alleged incident, while questions were raised about the clarity of available video evidence. These claims could not be independently verified through publicly released court documentation.

Legal analysts note that Iran’s judicial framework permits confessions to play a central evidentiary role, a practice that has drawn repeated criticism from international observers when allegations of coercion are involved. ainstagram: saleh.mohammadi95

Promising Wrestling Career Amplifies International Reaction

Mohammadi’s execution has resonated beyond legal and political circles due to his status as a rising athlete. According to IranWire and sports records, he had been invited to Iran’s youth national wrestling camp in 2023 and secured a bronze medal at the Saitiev International Cup in Russia in 2024.

Supporters, including members of the wrestling community, have emphasised his athletic achievements and lack of a documented history of violent conduct. While Iranian authorities upheld the murder conviction, these contrasting narratives have intensified public scrutiny.

The case has drawn comparisons to that of Navid Afkari, whose execution in 2020 prompted widespread international condemnation over similar allegations of forced confessions and procedural shortcomings.

Calls have since emerged for action from global sporting bodies, including the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, although no formal sanctions had been announced at the time of writing. ainstagram: saleh.mohammadi95

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