American journalist Grant Wahl died while covering the Argentina-Netherlands match

He collapsed in the stadium and was rushed to hospital in Qatar. Days ago, he had been delayed for wearing an LGBTQ T-shirt

Sports journalist Grant Wahl, a native of the United States, died while covering the match between the Argentine National Team and the Netherlands. Although he was rushed to a hospital, he did not survive cardiac arrest, the presumed cause of his death. Days ago he had been stopped by the Qatari police because he wore an LGBTQ shirt. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but his brother denounced on social networks that he suspects a homicide.

48-year-old Grant Wahl died during the quarterfinals in Doha. According to what he learned, he was in the press box at the Lusail stadium when he decompensated and was assisted by emergency service workers. Journalists who were at the scene indicated that the paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him and took him to a hospital. Minutes later, they were informed that he had died.

Wahl was working on his eighth World Cup and last Monday he wrote on his website that he had gone to a medical clinic in Qatar. “My body finally collapsed on top of me. Three weeks of little sleep, a lot of stress and a lot of work can do that,” he detailed.

He then indicated that he had a cold for the last 10 days but “it turned into something more severe the night of the game between the USA and the Netherlands, and I could feel my upper chest taking on a new level of pressure and discomfort,” he reported. on his site about the health problems he was having.

In addition, he clarified that he tested negative for coronavirus and had been informed that he “probably had bronchitis” so he was prescribed antibiotics and cough syrup. Although no official report was provided, according to what was reported by The Wall Street Journal, Wahl apparently suffered a heart attack.

The journalist was recognized in the United States for his career in sports coverage. For this reason, his death generated an immediate repercussion. On his social media, US Soccer issued a statement stating that “Grant has made soccer his life’s work, and we are devastated that he and his brilliant writing are no longer with us.”

“The entire US Soccer family is heartbroken,” they remarked from the soccer team and supported the professional qualities of the journalist. “Soccer fans and top-quality journalism knew we could always count on Grant to deliver interesting and entertaining stories about our game and its main players.”

In turn, they made reference to the strong ideology that Wahl had in relation to sport and human rights. Grant’s belief in the power of the game to promote human rights was, and will continue to be, an inspiration to all.

On the other hand, Ned Price, spokesman for the US State Department, also expressed his pain and acknowledged that the journalist’s death “saddened us deeply.” In addition, he reported that “we are engaged with senior Qatari officials to ensure that his family’s wishes are carried out as quickly as possible.”

This week, Wahl made a social media post about him, where he reported that along with 82 journalists he was honored by FIFA and the international sports press association AIPS for attending eight or more World Cups. In fact, he highlighted his joy because “Ronaldo even made a surprise appearance to deliver the awards.”

Beyond journalistic coverage, Wahl had an international impact during the 2022 World Cup because he was not allowed to enter one of the stadiums for wearing a rainbow shirt made with LGBT colors. The event occurred on September 21 and as he detailed in a tweet, it was delayed for 25 minutes. When he was intercepted by security personnel, he took his cell phone “by force and demanded that I take off my shirt to enter the stadium,” he said on his Twitter account.

In Qatar, gay and lesbian sex is criminalized and you cannot wear bracelets, t-shirts or other items with symbols that allude to LGBTQ rights. After Wahl’s death, his brother recalled the episode and raised his suspicions about the death.

“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington, I am the brother of Grant Wahl, ”he indicated in a video posted on Instagram. Later, the journalist’s brother explained: “I’m gay, I’m the reason he wore the rainbow jersey in the World Cup.”

Later, he denounced: “My brother was healthy, he told me that he received death threats. I don’t think my brother died. I think they killed him, and I just want to ask for help.” For her part, Wah’s wife, Cèline Gounder, said she is “completely shocked” and was grateful for the support she received from the entire football community.