Grant Wahl died of an aneurysm in his heart when he was stricken while covering a World Cup match last weekend, according to an autopsy of the well-known American soccer writer.
Wahl’s wife, Dr. Céline Gounder, said
Wednesday that an autopsy was conducted by the New York City Medical Examiner’s
Office.
“Grant died from the rupture of a slowly
growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium,” she wrote
on her husband’s website, referring to the wall that surrounds the heart. “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, who was 49, was stricken in the media
tribune of Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar early Saturday during extra time in
Argentina’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands. Emergency workers
immediately attended to him and treated him for 20 to 30 minutes before taking
him away on a stretcher, reporters in his vicinity said.
His body was transported to New York.
“This transition was handled with the
utmost care and sensitivity,” Gounder wrote. “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.”
Wahl had complained during the World Cup
about feeling ill.
“My body finally broke down on me. Three
weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you,” Wahl
wrote on Dec. 5. “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.”
Wahl wrote that he tested negative for
COVID-19 and sought treatment for his symptoms.
“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,” he wrote.
Wahl worked for Sports Illustrated from
1996 to 2021, known primarily for his coverage of soccer and college
basketball. He then launched his own website, Fútbol with Grant Wahl, and a
podcast with Meadowlark Media.
Wahl also worked for Fox Sports from
2012-19 and was hired by CBS Sports in 2021 as an analyst and editorial
consultant. Wahl wrote the 2009 book “The Beckham Experiment” after English
soccer star David Beckham joined Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy and the 2018
book “Masters of Modern Soccer.”
Gounder said a memorial service is being
planned.
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