Tehran, Iran – Canadian referees Demetra Koutsopodiotis-Gauthier and Stephanie Roberton-Owen are traveling to Tehran, Iran to help lead a refereeing clinic for Iranian women.

The duo will be in Tehran from December 13 to 16, with the clinic taking place on December 14, followed by an invite only women’s tournament at the Azadi Sport Complex on the 15^th.

Six other top ranked women officials from Europe will also be attending.

“I feel very privileged and honoured to have been selected to join and participate in such a prestigious event,” said Koutsopodiotis-Gauthier. “To have been chosen to fly to Iran and help teach and develop their women officials is huge. I look forward to connecting with all the officials at the tournament, we may not grow up speaking the same language but we all share the same passion of wrestling and that is what binds us as an officiating family.”

Koutsopodiotis-Gauthier, of Kamloops, B.C., first refereed on the international stage in 2009. She wrestled as a youth before moving into coaching, and eventually refereeing.

Roberton-Owen, who lives in Toronto, has officiated at the 2017 Francophone Games and the 2016 Cadet World Championships.

Both Koutsopodiotis-Gauthier and Roberton-Owen are Canadian World Wrestling Category I officials.

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For more information:

Chris Reith

Marketing & Communications Manager

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