Wahl, a former Sports Illustrated journalist who later moved to Substack, died while reporting the match between Argentina and the Netherlands; his wife Dr Celine Gounder wrote: "There was nothing nefarious about his death."
Wednesday 14 December 2022 14:55, UK
American sportswriter Grant Wahl died while covering the World Cup in Qatar due to a burst blood vessel, his wife has said.
Wahl, a former Sports Illustrated journalist who later moved to Substack, died while reporting the match between Argentina and the Netherlands.
US reporters sitting near him said he fell back in his seat during extra time, in a part of the stadium reserved for journalists.
They had called for assistance and, while emergency services responded quickly, they were later told that Wahl - believed to be 49 - had died.
Writing on Wahl's blog on Wednesday, his wife Dr Celine Gounder said: "An autopsy was performed by the New York City Medical Examiner's Office.
"Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium. 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."
Sky Sports' Martin Tyler on Sky Sports News:
"I was in the ground and afterwards I was told there had been an issue, probably about 10 rows further back from where I was broadcasting.
"I only found out this morning that it was Grant, who I knew, respected and had some dealings with because he got everyone's number in his contact book.
"He was such a great champion for the world game and the game that we love.
"It's a massive loss on that front, but it is a massive loss personally, and I send all my condolences to his family and friends.
"I can't really believe it's happened to someone so young."
Wahl said last month that he was briefly detained when he tried to enter a World Cup stadium in Qatar while wearing a rainbow shirt in support of the LGBTQ community.
Same-sex relations are illegal in Qatar.
He said on Twitter that he was detained for 25 minutes for wearing the shirt, with security guards "forcibly" taking his phone and demanding that he remove the shirt before going into the stadium.
He said he had refused.
Wahl also wrote on Monday that he had visited a hospital in Qatar, saying: "My body finally broke down on me - three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you.
"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.
"I didn't have COVID (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic at the main media centre 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."
