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 49 years old.
A spokesman for Qatar’s Supreme Commission on Deliveries and Bequests said Wall “fell unwell” while in the Lusail Stadium press area and was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to hospital.
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 top-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 White House has been in touch with Gounder, a senior government official told NBC News.・The official said that he had been in touch with Chief of Staff Klein.
The US State Department has extended its condolences to Wall’s family. “We are working with senior Qatari officials to ensure his family’s wishes are fulfilled as quickly as possible,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price. said in a tweet. White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre tweeted on Saturday, “Grant Wall inspired so many. Our thoughts are with his wife Dr. I am with all those who did.”
A spokesperson for the Qatar Supreme Committee said it had been in contact with the US embassy to “confirm that the repatriation process for the bodies is in line with the families’ wishes.”
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 in an event that has global coverage,” Wall said. told Mitchell.
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 New York Times bestseller about football.
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 paid tribute to Wall. In a statement, Gianni Infantino, head of football’s international governing body FIFA, said in a statement that Wall’s love of football was “immeasurable.” “It’s a big deal and his report will be missed by all who follow the global game.”
National Soccer 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.
US soccer star Megan Rapinoe calls the news ‘devastating’ in tweet, Hall of Famer Abby Wambach murmured The wall and football are “inextricably linked”.
“I have followed Grant and his work for decades,” said Wambach. “The story of football here in America has Grant’s name all over it.”
Tyler Adams, captain of the US men’s national soccer team, extended his “deepest condolences” to Wall’s wife and loved ones.
“As players, we have tremendous respect for the work of journalists, and Grant was a huge voice in football that was tragically silenced.
LeBron James says he “loves” Wall, who wrote cover stories for Sports Illustrated when he was in high school.
“He was always around and very cool. He spent a lot of time in my hometown of Akron and covered me before that…the cover story came out.I I was always watching from afar,’ said NBA legend Friday night press conference“It’s a tragic loss. It’s a shame to lose such a great man.”
Former world number one tennis star Billie Jean King also paid tribute.
“It is heartbreaking to hear the news of Grant Wall’s passing. A gifted journalist, Grant was an advocate for the LGBTQ community and a prominent voice in women’s football. He used his platform to , the story has lifted those in need,” he tweeted. “Prayers for his family.”
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.”
