Famous American soccer reporter Grant Wahl passed away unexpectedly on Friday after falling while covering a game at the Qatar World Cup, Reuters informed, citing his agent.
U.S. Soccer expressed their “heartbreak” after hearing of Wahl’s passing. In a tweet response to the U.S. Soccer announcement, his wife expressed her “complete shock.”
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which is in charge of organizing the Qatar World Cup, praised Wahl’s “enormous passion for football” and sent their sympathies to his loved ones as well as to his friends, family, and colleagues in the media.
The Netherlands vs. Argentina game was discussed earlier on Friday on Twitter by Wahl, a former Sports Illustrated reporter who now writes for the Substack online publishing platform.
In the beginning of extra time during the quarterfinal game, Wahl “looked to experience some form of extreme anxiety,” according to his agent Tim Scanlan, according to Reuters.
Prior to being sent to a nearby hospital, where Wahl’s death was officially pronounced, according to Scanlan, efforts were tried to resuscitate him in the press box.
“We are in touch with the U.S. Embassy and relevant local authorities to ensure the process of repatriating the body is in accordance with the family’s wishes,” the SC spokesperson said.
Qatar’s international media office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“Everyone’s emotional and it’s really traumatic,” Scanlan said. “He was a true advocate for both the men’s and women’s games and really just cared deeply about the sport. He was empathetic and just truly a brilliant writer.”
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