In this 2014 photo, sportswriter Grant Wall works as a sideline reporter during halftime.
Andy Mead | YCJ | Icon Sportswire | Corbis | Getty Images
Longtime football sportswriter Grant Wall died Friday in Qatar while covering the World Cup.
NPR National Editor-in-Chief Russell Lewis tweeted that he was covering the Argentina-Netherlands quarterfinal match when Wall died. Wall was 48 years old.
many news media Wall reported Collapsed In Prestribune, paramedics took care of him.
The cause of death was not immediately known.
US Soccer said in a statement that the team was “heartbroken” by Wall’s death.
“Fans of the highest quality football and journalism knew they could always count on Grant to provide insightful and entertaining stories about our game.
In his December 5th post personal site, Wall was not feeling well and was told by medical personnel at the World Cup venue that he might have bronchitis. He said he was given antibiotics.
“My body finally broke me down,” he wrote. On the night of the game against Holland, it became more serious – a new level of pressure and discomfort in the chest.”
His wife, Dr. Celine Gownder, said, murmured Late Friday, the news came as a “complete shock.”
“I am so grateful for the support of my husband @GrantWahl’s football family and the many friends who reached out tonight,” she said.
The US State Department said it had asked the Qatari government to grant the family’s wishes, but did not specify what it was.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of Mr Grant Wall’s passing and have been in close communication with his family. said in a tweet.
In his book, Wall reflected on the extraordinary nature of the World Cup in Qatar, referring to the events of November 21. He said he was stopped and detained by security for refusing to remove his shirt with the rainbow logo.meant solidarity with LGBTQ+ rights. Same-sex relationships are illegal in that country.
That happened when he arrived at Al Rayyan’s Ahmad bin Ali Stadium to cover the USA v Wales game. I have written.
Wall was held for more than half an hour and refused to remove his shirt until security force commanders released him and shook his hand.
He relayed the incident in an interview on MSNBC Report by Andrea Mitchell.
“I wondered what it was like for Qataris who were gay outside of the World Cup, because that’s what I had to deal with at an event with global coverage,” Mitchell said. told to
also had a whirl written about Treatment of migrant workers in Qatar with hundreds of migrant workers reportedly dead years leading up to the World Cup.
Originally from Mission, Kansas, Wall attended Princeton University as an undergraduate.
Wall covered at least 10 World Cups and 5 Olympics, according to his MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference biography.
He was known for his work at Sports Illustrated and as a commentator for NPR. He wrote a well-received book about David Beckham’s foray into US football, titled The Beckham Experiment.
It was the first football-themed New York Times bestseller.
Sports Illustrated’s top editor said late Friday that he joined the company in 1996 and left in 2020 to pursue an independent project.
SI co-editors Ryan Hunt and Stephen Cannella said: “We are proud to have called him a colleague and friend of his 20 years. There was no real writer.”
Many football organizations reacted to Wall’s death late Friday. National Football Hall of Fame Said Few were as supportive of the idea of honoring the best players as he was.major league soccer Said Wall’s passion for gaming is immense.Angel City Football Club in Los Angeles Said Soccer “is getting better because of him”.
“His commitment to sharing the story of our beautiful match was unmatched, but more importantly his honesty, thoughtfulness and kindness were central to his way of life. statement.
Some of Wall’s readers believe he helped grow the sport’s fan base in the United States.
Film and TV producer Franklin Leonard said it’s hard to gauge Wall’s importance to the state side of the game.
“If you’re American and not a fan of beautiful games, it can be very difficult to understand what Grant Wall means to a community of fans. murmured“And honestly, I’m at a bit of a loss to clarify it.”
