Topline
The body of Grant Wahl, a renowned American soccer journalist who died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar last week, was returned to American soil Monday morning, according to several outlets.
A memorial dedicated to Grant Wahl at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday in Al Khor, Qatar.
Key Facts
Wahl’s remains and his belongings arrived at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City at about 8:30 EST, unnamed State Department officials told the Associated Press and NBC News. (The State Department did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.)
The 49-year-old Wahl died after collapsing in the press box during Friday’s quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
His brother Eric Wahl confirmed in a Monday tweet that the family was going with Wahl’s body for an autopsy, also saying the family was told that New York City police officers were in Doha, Qatar, to gather information.
Key Background
The preeminent American voice on the world’s most popular sport, Grant Wahl’s sudden death inspired an outpouring of condolences in the soccer world and beyond, with Tyler Adams, captain of the U.S. men’s soccer team, writing, “Grant’s was a giant voice in soccer that has tragically fallen silent.” A longtime Sports Illustrated writer who later independently published his work, Wahl was best known for his thoughtful and often critical coverage of soccer’s governing bodies. Wahl was highly critical of FIFA’s decision to grant the 2022 World Cup to Qatar in light of its subpar human rights record, highlighted by the thousands of migrant worker deaths associated with the tournament’s construction and the criminalization of homosexuality. Wahl famously wore a rainbow T-shirt into a stadium earlier in the tournament, even after a brief detainment, protesting the country’s treatment of LGBT individuals. Wahl’s cause of death is unknown, though he had been feeling ill over the last few days of his life with what he called bronchitis. Eric Wahl initially said he believed there may have been foul play related to his brother’s LGBT protest, but tweeted Monday it “seems possible Grant experienced a pulmonary embolism.”
Crucial Quote
Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted about an hour after Wahl’s reported repatriation his thanks for the cooperation of Qatari officials who helped to “fulfill [the] wishes” of Wahl’s family, adding he “so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it.”
Further Reading
Grant Wahl, Former Sports Illustrated Writer, Dies at 49 (Sports Illustrated)
Reporter Grant Wahl, Who Died at the World Cup, Elevated Soccer in America (TIME)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/12/12/soccer-journalist-grant-wahls-body-returned-to-us-after-death-in-qatar/