Grant Wahl Died: When Detained in Qatar for Wearing an LGBT T-Shirt

Prominent American sports journalist Grant Wahl has died after collapsing at the Lusail stadium while covering Argentina’s match against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Until then, his presence in that country had not gone unnoticed, much less by the Qataris themselves. It is that the 49-year-old reporter went viral on social networks after reporting him he had been barred from entering a party because he was wearing an LGBT shirt.

Specifically, he explained it they delayed it by 25 minutes at the Ahmed bin Ali stadium, before the USA meet Wales for the group stage. As she explained, it was all because her shirt had a rainbow on it, a clear symbol of support for the LGBT community. Precisely in Qatar, where homosexuality is a crime.

According to Wahl, a security officer told him, “You have to change your shirt. This is not allowedThe reporter refused and immediately tweeted what was happening, before the guards took his phone.

“A security guard told me my shirt was “political” and not allowed. Another one outright refused to give me my phone back. Another guard yelled at me as he was standing over me, and I was sitting in a chair, that I had to take my shirt off,” she said.

Eventually, Wahl recounted appearing a security chief, apologized and let him into the stadium. Furthermore, a FIFA representative also apologized.

Just a day before his death, Grant had recounted on his podcast what he had been dealing with for the past few days bronchitis and that was not feeling well: “I think my body told me, even after the United States left, ‘man, you’re not getting enough sleep.’ He rebelled against me.”

“So I’ve had a case of bronchitis this week, I’ve been to the medical clinic in the media center twice, including today. Today I feel better. I pretty much wiped out everything I had on Thursday and took a nap. And I’m a little better. I think you can probably tell from my voice that I’m not 100 percent.”

The story behind his LGBT t-shirt

After Grant Wahl’s death was confirmed, his brother, Eric, recorded a message and posted the video on his social networks: he said he was the reason behind Grant’s LGBT shirt and claimed he was murdered.

“My name is Eric Wahl, I live in Seattle, Washington. I’m gay and that’s why he wore the rainbow jersey at the World Cup“, she said on camera, her voice breaking and on the verge of tears.

And he assured: “He was healthy. he said he got death threats, i don’t think my brother is dead, i think he was murdered“.

Just a day before his death, Grant had told on his podcast that he had been dealing with bronchitis for the past few days and was not feeling well: “I think my body told me, even after the United States they’re gone, ‘man, you don’t get enough sleep.’ He rebelled against me.’