A leading American sports reporter, who last month had a run-in with Qatar’s World Cup organisers over a rainbow LGBTQ shirt, died while covering a tense quarter-final match Friday, his family said. Grant Wahl, 48, helped build soccer’s popularity in the United States through his vivid reporting for Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports and other media.Absolutely bone chilling stuff Soccer journalist Grant Wahl who was kicked out of a stadium in QATAR for this shirt has reportedly collapsed and passed away during the Argentina game todayHis brother says on Instagram that Grant was fully healthy & believes there’s foul play pic.twitter.com/t47C2XfuVl— JACK SETTLEMAN (@jacksettleman) December 10, 2022 Wahl collapsed in the press tribune during Friday’s Argentina-Netherlands game. The Wall Street Journal said he suffered a suspected heart attack. Wahl’s wife Celine Gounder, a renowned epidemiologist, said on Twitter: “I’m in complete shock.”“He received immediate emergency medical treatment on site, which continued as he was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital. We offer our deepest condolences to Grant’s family, friends and his many close colleagues in the media” A Qatar organizing committee spokesperson said in a statement.U.S. Soccer Statement On The Passing Of Grant Wahl: pic.twitter.com/CBp1mCK1mQ— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) December 10, 2022 President Gianni Infantino also commented on the unfortunate event.“It is with disbelief and immense sadness that I have been made aware of the passing of renowned sports journalist Grant Wahl, whilst reporting on a quarter-final match during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Only some days ago, Grant was recognised by FIFA and AIPS for his contribution to reporting on eight consecutive FIFA World Cups, and his career also included attendance at several FIFA Women’s World Cups, as well as a host of other international sporting events. His love for football was immense and his reporting will be missed by all who follow the global game” the FIFA President said in a statement.Regragui: Whole Africa is behind us, we want to stay at this World CupWahl said on his subscription newsletter earlier this week that he’d gone to a clinic at the media center in Qatar.”My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you… I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort. I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno” he wrote.Messi you’ve never seen before: ‘What are you looking at? Fool!’His agent, Tim Scanlan, told the New York Times that Wahl had gone into acute distress in the final minutes of a quarterfinal match, which he was covering from the press tribune. His brother Eric, who is gay, openly questioned Grant’s cause of death.“I am the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the world cup. I do not believe my brother just died; I believe he was killed” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_6877797##Wahl was involved in an incident just before the November 21 match between the United States and Wales when he was stopped as he entered the stadium for wearing a rainbow shirt in support of LGBTQ rights. Qatar criminalises homosexuality and Wahl said security guards told him the shirt was “political”.
