Grant Wahl’s cause of death released by wife

Leading soccer journalist Grant Wahl died of an aortic aneurysm rupture, his wife said Wednesday.

There was “nothing nefarious” about the death of Wahl, who collapsed last Friday during a World Cup match in Qatar, Dr. Celine Gounder wrote in an announcement on her husband’s Substack page.

“Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium,” Gounder, a physician and infectious diseases expert, wrote following an autopsy 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.”

An aneurysm occurs when a blood vessel becomes larger than 1.5 times its normal size, according to Medical News Today, which Gounder linked to in the post.

Her announcement came a day after the journalist’s brother, Eric Wahl, said he no longer suspected foul play after previously suggesting his sibling was killed.

[ Prominent American soccer journalist Grant Wahl dies in Qatar  ]

Wahl, who was 49, spent more than two decades with Sports Illustrated, leading the magazine’s soccer coverage for much of his tenure.

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“While the world knew Grant as a great journalist, we knew him as a man who approached the world with openness and love,” Gounder wrote. “Grant was an incredibly empathetic, dedicated, and loving husband, brother, uncle, and son who was our greatest teammate and fan.”

Days before his death, Wahl wrote he visited a clinic in Qatar after experiencing an unknown illness.

“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,” he wrote on Substack.

“I didn’t have Covid (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis.”

In Wednesday’s announcement, Gounder reiterated Wahl didn’t have COVID-19 and said his vaccination status had no bearing on his death.

His body and belongings were returned to the United States on Monday. Gounder says details for a memorial service will be released.

“We will forever cherish the gift of his life; to share his company was our greatest love and source of joy,” Gounder wrote.