American journalist Grant Wahl has reportedly died while covering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to a video posted by his brother Friday evening.
NPR confirmed Wahl’s death while covering the Netherlands-Argentina quarterfinal match in Doha and US Soccer confirmed the news in a statement.
Wahl, who covered American and world soccer on his Substack and previously worked for Sports Illustrated, was ‘healthy’ before he collapsed during a game Friday, according to brother Eric in an Instagram video he posted.
Eric, who is gay, said through tears that he believes his brother – who had been detained before the United States’ tournament opener against Wales for wearing a rainbow flag shirt – may have been killed.
Wahl said: ‘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 stated in the comments of the Instagram post that his brother’s wife – Dr. Celine Gounder, who worked on the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response team – has been in touch with White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain.
Grant Wahl’s last tweet came just hours earlier, when he described the tying goal the Netherlands had scored against Argentina in their World Cup quarterfinal match, which he was in attendance for.
Read Related Also: Inside Ben Affleck’s Gone With the Wind-style Georgian ‘imitation plantation’ mansion
This is a developing story.
American journalist Grant Wahl has reportedly died while covering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar , according to a video posted by his brother Friday evening
Wahl, who covered American and world soccer on his Substack and previously worked for Sports Illustrated, was ‘healthy’ before he collapsed during a game Friday, according to brother Eric in an Instagram video he posted
Wahl was attending the USA’s first game of the tournament against Wales on Monday and wore a black t-shirt with a circle in the colors of the rainbow wrapping around a soccer ball, in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
He took to Twitter to claim that he was initially refused entry to the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan. He also revealed that shortly after sending out his first tweet, security staff ‘forcibly ripped his phone from his hands.’
Wahl’s account was met with widespread condemnation on social media
