Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that US sports journalist, Grant Wahl, who wore LGBTQ rainbow t-shirt confirmed dead under unknown conditions.
American sports journalist Grant Wahl unexpectedly died while covering Netherlands vs Argentina at the Qatar World Cup.
His openly gay brother suggests foul play may be involved as Wahl had been detained for wearing a rainbow shirt in his honor at the tournament 2 weeks ago.CBS News is now reporting that Grant Wahl suffered a heart attack during the match:
“Wahl suffered a heart attack Friday in the press box at the stadium where Argentina and Netherlands played their quarterfinal match”.
A cause of death has not been released publicly.
According to the Associated Press, “U.S. media seated near him said Wahl fell back in his seat in the media tribune at Lusail Iconic Stadium during extra time, and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. Emergency services workers responded very quickly, the reporters said, and the reporters later were told that Wahl had died.”
Wahl wrote on Monday that he had been sick for about 10 days, attributing it to being overworked and not getting much sleep while covering the World Cup before his symptoms eventually got bad enough that he went to a medical clinic in Qatar.
“I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis,” he wrote. “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 said he tested negative for COVID-19.
Before the United States’ matchup with Wales on Nov. 21, Wahl posted on social media that he was not initially granted access to Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium for wearing a shirt with a rainbow encircling a soccer ball.
Wahl told Kevin Dotson and Ben Morse of CNN after the incident that he had been given assurances he would be allowed to wear such clothing into the stadium. He further explained his decision to wear the shirt:
It’s really important to me and it’s not required by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve got family members who are gay. I’ve got friends who are gay. I’ve got journalist friends who are gay who are here in Qatar. But you don’t need that to be supportive, to be an ally. So, I was thinking about all of those people yesterday. I was thinking about Colorado Springs. I was thinking all sorts of stuff. And if I have to be detained for 30 minutes, it’s kind of annoying. But it’s not an issue for me. And so I was glad to at least help out a little bit.
Wahl wasn’t alone in dealing with issues while attempting to wear pro-LGBQT+ clothing into Qatar’s stadiums.
U.S. media seated near him said Wahl fell back in his seat in the media tribune at Lusail Iconic Stadium during extra time and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. Emergency services workers responded very quickly, the reporters said, and the reporters later were told that Wahl had died.
Wahl tweeted on Wednesday that he had celebrated his birthday that day. American reporters who knew Wahl said he was 49.
“We could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists,” the U.S. Soccer Federation said in a statement. “Grant’s belief in the power of the game to advance human rights was, and will remain, an inspiration to all. Grant made soccer his life’s work, and we are devastated that he and his brilliant writing will no longer be with us.”
Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday on his website that he had visited a medical clinic while 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,” Wahl wrote. “What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.”
Wahl wrote that he tested negative for COVID-19 and sought treatment for his symptoms.
“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.
Wahl wore a rainbow T-shirt in support of LGBTQ rights to the United States’ World Cup opener against Wales on Nov. 21 and wrote that security refused him entry and told him to remove the shirt. Gay and lesbian sex is criminalized in Qatar, a conservative Muslim nation.
Wahl wrote he was detained for 25 minutes at Ahmed Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan, then was let go by a security commander. Wahl said FIFA apologized to him.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted late Friday: “We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Grant Wahl and send our condolences to his family, with whom we have been in close communication. We are engaged with senior Qatari officials to see to it that his family’s wishes are fulfilled as expeditiously as possible.”
Wahl is survived by his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, an associate professor at New York University School of Medicine, attending physician at Bellevue Hospital Center and CBS News contributor.
Gounder tweeted that she was thankful for the support of her husband’s “soccer family” and friends who had reached out.
“I’m in complete shock,” she wrote.
A voter at times in FIFA’s annual awards, Wahl wrote this week that he had been among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the international sports press association AIPS for attending eight or more World Cups.
Wahl graduated from Princeton in 1996 and worked for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2021, known primarily for his coverage of soccer and college basketball. He then launched his own website.
Wahl also worked for Fox Sports from 2012-19.While covering Argentina’s quarterfinal win over the Netherlands on Friday, Wahl, who had run his own Substack after a long career at Sports Illustrated, collapsed at Lusail Iconic Stadium and was rushed to a nearby hospital. It’s unclear whether he died at the hospital or in transport.
His brother, Eric, believes foul play from the Qatari government may have been involved.
“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington. I am Grant Wahl’s brother. I’m gay,” he said in a video posted to his Instagram account before making the account private. “I’m the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the World Cup. My brother was healthy. He told me he received death threats. I do not believe my brother just died. I believe he was killed. And I just beg for any help.”
Prior to the USMNT’s World Cup game against Wales, Wahl was initially not allowed into Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and detained for 30 minutes for wearing a shirt depicting a soccer ball surrounded by a rainbow. He was eventually let into the stadium.
The Qatari government cracked down on pro-LGBTQ demonstrations at the tournament despite their original promises not to. In addition to his rainbow-themed shirt, Wahl has been an outspoken critic of the Qatari government and its hosting of the World Cup. On Thursday, he wrote “They just don’t care. Qatari World Cup organizers don’t even hide their apathy over migrant worker deaths, including the most recent one,” in an article on his Substack.
“We’re still trying to find out,” Eric continued. “He collapsed at the stadium, was given cpr, was taken by Uber to hospital and died according to Celine. We just spoke with the state department and Celine has spoken to Ron Klain and the White House.”
Just one day prior, Wahl revealed that he was dealing with bronchitis while feeling under the weather.
“My body I think told me, even after the U.S. went out, ‘dude, you are not sleeping enough.’ It rebelled on me,” Wahl said on his podcast, “Futbol with Grant Wahl,” on Thursday. “So I’ve had a case of bronchitis this week, I’ve been to the medical clinic at the media center twice now, including today. I’m feeling better today I basically cancelled everything on this Thursday that I had and napped. And I’m doing slightly better. I think you can probably tell in my voice that I’m not 100 percent.”
Wahl was married to Céline R. Gounder, an American infectious disease physician who served on the COVID-19 Advisory Board transition team for President Joe Biden.
During the game, Wahl was tweeting coverage of the proceedings. His last tweet was at 4:05 p.m. ET. His wife also posted a tweet following the news.
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