VISION AND LEADERSHIP
Elham Heidari
Founder and Executive Director | Wrestling Referee
Wrestling Podium Radio was founded to create independent journalism that documents wrestling beyond competition results and headlines.
Elham's work bridges journalism and officiating, offering a perspective shaped by direct participation in the sport. Since 2013, she has produced original wrestling journalism through interviews, podcasts, feature writing, analysis, and multimedia storytelling while serving as a national wrestling referee in Canada and an international beach wrestling referee.
As the first Iranian woman to become a national wrestling referee in Canada, her journey reflects both the opportunities and barriers that continue to shape women's participation in wrestling media and officiating.
She has covered one Olympic Games, seven World Wrestling Championships, three Wrestling World Cups, and numerous national and international events, building long-term relationships throughout the wrestling community that continue to inform Wrestling Podium Radio's journalism.
JOURNALISM & EDITORIAL
Marzieh Darabi
Staff Writer | Wrestling Journalist
Marzieh Darabi has more than twenty years of experience covering wrestling through print, digital media, and commentary.
Her journalism reflects long-standing relationships with athletes, coaches, and wrestling communities, providing thoughtful reporting and analysis grounded in a deep understanding of the sport's culture and history.
Through Wrestling Podium Radio, she contributes original reporting, commentary, and feature writing that helps audiences understand wrestling beyond competition results, connecting readers with the people, experiences, and communities that shape the sport.
Community Contributors
Wrestling Podium Radio also collaborates with photographers, videographers, writers, translators, and volunteers who contribute their time, expertise, and local knowledge to individual projects and event coverage.
These collaborations allow WPR to remain connected to wrestling communities across different regions while expanding the diversity of voices contributing to our journalism.
OUR APPROACH
Our team is small by design but deeply connected to the sport.
Rather than reporting from a distance, we participate in wrestling communities as journalists, officials, media creators, and long-time members of the sport. These trusted relationships shape our reporting, strengthen our understanding of community priorities, and help ensure our journalism reflects the experiences of the people we serve.