Sportswriter Grant Wahl has died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar.
The United States Soccer Federation confirmed his death in a statement late Friday, praising the 48-year-old veteran soccer journalist for his “insightful and entertaining stories” about the sport.
In addition to “elevating” the sport with his “brilliant writing,” the soccer federation said, “Grant’s belief in the power of the game to advance human rights was, and will remain, an inspiration to all.”
The statement appeared to hint at Wahl’s decision to take a stand for LGBTQ+ rights in a country that forbids same-sex relations under Islamic Sharia law. Wahl said he was briefly detained by security officials late last month after showing up to the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in a rainbow T-shirt.
He was released after tweeting about the ordeal.
Few details were immediately available on the circumstances of his death. NPR reported that he died in Doha while covering the Argentina-Netherlands World Cup quarterfinal.
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