AL-RAJJAN (QATAR), Dec. 14 (dpa/EP) –
The American sports journalist Grant Wahl died of natural causes while covering the World Cup in Qatar, specifically due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm with a hematoma in the pericardium, as confirmed by his wife, Céline Gounder.
“Neither resuscitation nor shocks would have saved him. His death was not related to COVID. His death was not related to vaccination status,” Gounder said, making it clear that the medical report was not inconsistent.
Wahl collapsed in the press box at Lusail Stadium during the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands. The medical teams began treating him on the premises and later he was transferred to the Hamad General Hospital, where he died at the age of 48.
Days before, and according to Wahl himself, he was detained for 25 minutes before the United States-Wales match in the group stage of the World Cup, on November 21, for wearing a rainbow-colored shirt to show his support for the LGBTQI community. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and he is punishable by up to seven years in prison. After the news broke, his brother denounced through Instagram that the journalist could have been murdered.
“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington. I am the brother of Grant Wahl. I am gay,” he stated in the video, according to the ‘New York Post’. “I am the reason why he wore the rainbow jersey in the World Cup. My brother was healthy. He told me he received death threats. I don’t think my brother just died. I think he was killed. And I just ask for any help “, he added.
The journalist was married to Céline R. Gounder, a doctor specializing in infectious diseases who was part of Biden’s advisory for the coronavirus, and who today confirmed that the causes of death were natural.