BREAKING UPDATE: Cause of death revealed after US journalist Grant Wahl died at Qatar World Cup

FOLLOWING the death of US journalist Grant Wahl, who died last week while covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, people had been speculating as to the cause of his death after his brother claimed he had been killed.

UPDATE 3.03 PM (December 14) – However, the cause of the US journalist’s death in Qatar has now been confirmed.

Tragically, Grant Wahl died after suffering an aortic aneurysm, his wife confirmed on Wednesday, December 14.

His wife, Dr Céline Gounder, spoke to CBS on the morning of December and said that her husband died from an “aortic aneurysm that ruptured.”

“And it’s just one of these things that had been likely brewing for years, and for whatever reason it happened at this point in time,” the 45-year-old said.

Grant Wahl, 48, collapsed and died while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands in Qatar.

His brother Eric Wahl said on Friday evening, December 9: “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.”

Days after Wahl died suddenly, another journalist covering the World Cup in Qatar suddenly passed away.

Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam, who was working for Al Kass TV, died suddenly on Sunday, December 11.

ORIGINAL 4.22 am (December 10) – Grant Wahl, a US journalist who collapsed and died while covering the World Cup match between Argentina and the Netherlands in Qatar was killed claimed his brother in an Instagram post.

According to claims made in a video posted on Friday evening, December 9, Grant Wahl, an American journalist covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has been killed. This sensational claim of foul play has been made by his brother who pointed out that Grant had previously been briefly detained by the Qatari authorities for wearing a shirt with a rainbow flag on it.

Posting on Instagram, Eric Wahl – who is gay – wrote through his tears: “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”. Grant had been detained prior to the Wales versus USA match.

Statements from both US Soccer and NPR confirmed the 48-year-old’s death. Grant was in Qatar covering the World Cup tournament and died while in Doha’s Lusail Iconic Stadium during the Argentina-Netherlands quarter-final on Friday evening. Medics inside the ground attempted to administer CPR and then he was transferred by Uber to a hospital, where he passed away.

NPR can confirm the death of longtime soccer sportswriter Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl). He died today in Doha, Qatar while covering the Argentina-Netherlands World Cup quarterfinal. Story to come.

— Russell Lewis (@rdlewis) December 10, 2022

Here's the first pass of the NPR story on the death of Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl). More details to be added soon. https://t.co/1SrB53UdRv

— Russell Lewis (@rdlewis) December 10, 2022

Grant’s wife is Dr Celine Gounder who worked on the Covid-19 response team for the Biden administration. Eric mentioned in the Instagram comments that she had been in contact with Ron Klain, the White House Chief of Staff. He also insisted that his 48-year-old brother had been perfectly healthy before he collapsed at the football match.

“I am so thankful for the support of my husband @GrantWahl’s soccer family & of so many friends who’ve reached out tonight. I’m in complete shock”, Dr Grounder posted on Twitter, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

I am so thankful for the support of my husband @GrantWahl's soccer family & of so many friends who've reached out tonight.

I'm in complete shock. https://t.co/OB3IzOxGlE

— Céline Gounder, MD, ScM, FIDSA 🇺🇦 (@celinegounder) December 10, 2022

Mr Wahl posted his final tweet when he described the goal scored by the Netherlands to level the scores in the World Cup match with Argentina. Grant previously covered football for Sports Illustrated and had been working with NBC News, CBS Sports, and Substack.

Just an incredible designed set-piece goal by the Netherlands.

— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) December 9, 2022

Wearing a shirt showing his support for the LGBTQ+ community, Grant Wahl was stopped outside the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan when attending the USA-Wales match on November 21. He was initially refused entry because a security guard informed him that his shirt was ‘not allowed’.

After posting a tweet, Mr Wahl said that his mobile was ‘forcibly ripped from his hands’, by the security staff. His tweet created widespread anger among users of the platform.

It was not met with the same feeling by one user though. Dr Nayef bin Nahar, a director of social sciences at Qatar University tweeted his response: “As a Qatari, I’m proud of what happened. I don’t know when will the westerners realize that their values aren’t universal. There are other cultures with different values that should be equally respected. Let’s not forget that the West is not the spokesperson for humanity”.

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

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