AMERICAN journalist Grant Wahl died from a ruptured aortic aneurysm while covering the Qatar 2022 World Cup, his widow has revealed.
Wahl, 48, collapsed in a World Cup press box during the Argentina versus Netherlands quarter-final match last Friday and died moments after.
A ruptured aortic aneurysm is when a bulge or swelling in the main artery that carries blood away from the heart tears, stopping blood being pumped around the body.
The former Sports Illustrated journalist had described feeling pressure in his chest days before the game.
His wife Celine Gounder said today that an autopsy performed by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office concluded there was nothing suspicious in his death.
“Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium,” Gounder, who is a doctor, said today.
“The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms.
“No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to Covid. His death was unrelated to vaccination status.
“There was nothing nefarious about his death.”
Wahl’s tragic passing prompted messages of condolence from top American sports stars, and Gounder is appreciative of the support.
“While the world knew Grant as a great journalist, we knew him as a man who approached the world with openness and love,” she added.
“Grant was an incredibly empathetic, dedicated, and loving husband, brother, uncle, and son who was our greatest team-mate and fan. We will forever cherish the gift of his life; to share his company was our greatest love and source of joy.”
Wahl, who was running an independent website, wrote days before his death that he had been to a hospital in Qatar and been told it was likely he had bronchitis.
At the beginning of the World Cup in November, he had been stopped from entering the stadium for USA’s group match against Wales because he was wearing a T-shirt in support of LGBT, which is illegal in Qatar.
