LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Grant Wahl, 1 of the astir well-known shot writers successful the United States, died aboriginal Saturday portion covering the World Cup lucifer betwixt Argentina and the Netherlands.
U.S. media seated adjacent him said Wahl fell backmost successful his spot successful the media tribune astatine Lusail Iconic Stadium during other clip and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance. Emergency services workers responded precise quickly, the reporters said, and the reporters aboriginal were told that Wahl had died.
Wahl tweeted connected Wednesday that helium had celebrated his day that day. American reporters who knew Wahl said helium was 49.
Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup. He wrote Monday connected his website that helium had visited a aesculapian clinic portion successful Qatar.
“My assemblage yet broke down connected me. Three weeks of small sleep, precocious accent and tons of enactment tin bash that to you,” Wahl wrote. “What had been a acold implicit the past 10 days turned into thing much terrible connected the nighttime of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could consciousness my precocious thorax instrumentality connected a caller level of unit and discomfort.”
Wahl wrote that helium tested antagonistic for COVID-19 and sought attraction for his symptoms.
“I went into the aesculapian session astatine the main media halfway today, and they said I astir apt person bronchitis. They gave maine a people of antibiotics and immoderate heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a spot amended conscionable a fewer hours later. But still: No bueno,” helium wrote.
During the World Cup, Wahl drew planetary attraction aft saying helium was concisely stopped from attending the U.S. lucifer against Wales connected Nov. 21 implicit wearing a rainbow-colored T-shirt. Rainbow-colored armbands, shirts and different items person been a absorption of attraction during the tourney successful portion implicit Qatar’s stance connected LGBTQ rights. Gay and lesbian enactment is criminalized successful Qatar, a blimpish Muslim federation connected the Arabian Peninsula. Wahl said FIFA aboriginal apologized to him implicit the incident.
Wahl wrote this week that helium had been among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the planetary sports property relation AIPS for attending 8 oregon much World Cups.
A 1996 postgraduate of Princeton, Wahl worked for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2021, known chiefly for his sum of shot and assemblage basketball. He past launched his ain website.
Wahl besides worked for Fox Sports from 2012-19.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Celine Gounder, objective subordinate prof of medicine astatine New York University School of Medicine, attending doc astatine Bellevue Hospital Center and CBS News aesculapian quality contributor.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports