Journalist Grant Wahl. /
Qatar World Cup 2022
The American reporter was detained at the start of the World Cup for trying to enter a stadium wearing a rainbow flag shirt. His brother denounces that he has been murdered
Grant Wahl, a 48-year-old American journalist, died this Saturday in Doha after collapsing in the press box of the Lusail stadium during extra time in the Netherlands-Argentina match. The reporter was treated urgently in the same tier and received cardiopulmonary resuscitation before being transferred to a hospital without anything being done to save his life. Wahl apparently suffered a heart attack.
The controversy came hours later, when Wahl’s brother denounced the murder of the journalist on social networks. According to him, his brother was killed for having tried to access a first phase match wearing a shirt with the rainbow flag. Wahl then denounced that he had been detained by several security members who took his mobile phone and reprimanded him for wearing clothing with political messages. Since then, always the brother’s version, he would have been receiving death threats.
Wahl worked for two decades for ‘Sports Illustrated’ magazine as a soccer journalist. In 2020 he started writing on a portal with a paid subscription. As reported by various agencies, one of Wahl’s latest posts on this website dealt with the death of a migrant worker in Qatar during the World Cup and the indifferent reaction of local authorities.
It was the American Soccer Federation that reported the death through social networks: “We thank Grant for his tremendous dedication and impact on our game in the United States. His writings and the stories he told will live on ». Shortly after, FIFA also issued a statement regretting the death. “Just a few days ago, Grant was honored by FIFA and AIPS for his contribution to the coverage of eight consecutive FIFA World Cups. His career has also included attendance at several FIFA Women’s World Cups, as well as numerous other international sporting events. His love for soccer was immense and all those who follow world sport will miss reporting on him,” the statement reads.
Wahl had revealed in a publication that he had had health problems for several days, which led him to be treated at the Doha press center clinic for an onset of bronchitis. «My body ended up collapsing. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress, and a lot of work can do that,” Wahl wrote. “What had been a cold for the last 10 days turned into something more serious the night of the USA vs. Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort,” he said. a few days before his death.
