Football journalist Grant Wahl's cause of death has been confirmed after he collapsed during the World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and Netherlands on Friday.
News of Wahl's sudden death shocked the football world following the match at the Lusail Stadium, with the American journalist tweeting updates just moments before he collapsed as the game headed into extra-time. His final tweet came just after the Netherlands scored in the 101st minute, as he wrote: "Just an incredible designed set-piece goal by the Netherlands."
The LA Times reported that he was treated for 20 minutes after he collapsed and then was removed from the stadium on a stretcher and taken to a Qatari hospital where he was pronounced dead.
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The respected journalist had also been in poor health during the World Cup, writing on his website: “My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you. What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort.
“I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno".
An autopsy has now put an end to any speculation, with Wahl's wife confirming that he died after suffering a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
In a lengthy statement, Dr. Celine Gounder, who had previously expressed her "complete shock" at her husband's sudden death, explained: "An autopsy was performed by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium.
"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."
Following Wahl's death, the US Soccer Federation issued a statement thanking him for his "tremendous dedication" for the game and assuring that his work would long be remembered.
"The entire US Soccer family is heartbroken to learn that we have lost Grant Wahl," it read. ""Fans of soccer and journalism of the highest quality knew we could always count on Grant to deliver insightful and entertaining stories about our game, and its major protagonists: teams, players, coaches and the many personalities that make soccer unlike any sport.
"Here in the United States, Grant's passion for soccer and commitment to elevating its profile across our sporting landscape played a major role in helping to drive interest in and respect for our beautiful game."
"As important, Grant's belief in the power of the game to advance human rights was, and will remain, an inspiration to all," it added. "Grant made soccer his life's work, and we are devastated that he and his brilliant writing will no longer be with us. US Soccer its sincerest condolences to Grant's wife, DR Celine Gounder, and all of his family members, friends and colleagues in the media.
"And we thanks Grant for his tremendous dedication to and impact on our game in the United States. His writing and the stories he told will live on."
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