Soccer Journalist, Princeton Grad Grant Wahl Died Of Aneurysm, Wife Says

PRINCETON, NJ – Soccer writer Grant Wahl died of an ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium, according to an autopsy.

In a statement on Wednesday morning, Wahl’s wife Celine Gounder said the autopsy was conducted by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office.

“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,” Gounder said. “His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”

Wahl died on Dec. 9 while covering the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. The 1996 Princeton grad was 48 when he died. More: Journalist Grant Wahl Dies In Qatar: Princeton Grad Was 48

He was covering the Argentina V. Netherlands quarterfinals at Lusail Stadium in Doha when he collapsed at the press tribune. Paramedics performed CPR before taking him to a local hospital.

His body was transported to New York and arrived Monday. Gounder said the transition was handled with “utmost care and sensitivity.”

“This was an international matter that required coordination from multiple agencies domestically and internationally, and there was full cooperation from everyone involved. Our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in repatriating Grant, in particular the White House, the U.S. Department of State, FIFA, U.S. Soccer and American Airlines,” Gounder said.

While in Qatar, Wahl had gotten sick and wrote on Twitter that he tested negative for COVID-19 and sought medical treatment.

“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,” he wrote.

Hi death was mourned across the journalism and soccer community.

Wahl is among three journalist who died while covering the FIFA World Cup In Qatar. ITV’s Roger Pearce “passed away suddenly” at his hotel on Nov. 21, ITV said.

Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam “died suddenly” on Dec. 10, Gulf Times said on Twitter.

FIFA set up flower memorial, pictures of the three and a condolence book inside the media center at Lusail Stadium during the Argentina-Croatia semifinal match on Tuesday.

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