US journalist Grant Wahl, one of the most well-known soccer writers of the country, died on Saturday while covering the football World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands, days after he was detained in host country Qatar for wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBTQ community.
Grant, 48, reportedly collapsed while covering the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on Friday.
Grant was briefly detained last month when he tried to enter a World Cup stadium in Qatar while wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBTQ community in a country where same-sex relations are illegal.
Grant Wahl, a former Sports Illustrated journalist, had said World Cup security denied him entry to the United States’ opener against Wales at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan and asked him to take his shirt off.
Just now: Security guard refusing to let me into the stadium for USA-Wales. “You have to change your shirt. It’s not allowed.” pic.twitter.com/TvSGThMYq8— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) November 21, 2022
He said his phone was taken away when he tweeted about the incident.
Grant’s brother, Eric, alleged that the Qatari government may have been involved in the death of his death.
“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington. I am Grant Wahl’s brother. I’m gay. 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,” Grant’s brother said in a video posted on Instagram.
US mediapersons seated near him said he was stricken while in the media press box at Lusail Iconic Stadium during extra time and could not be revived.
Wahl had also written on Monday that he had visited a hospital while in Qatar, adding that his body “finally broke down” on him due to three weeks of little sleep, high stress and a lot of work.
“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. I didn’t have Covid [I test regularly here], but 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,” Grant Wahl said.
US Soccer released a statement, saying they were “heartbroken” to learn of Wahl’s death.
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