Journalist Grant Wahl has passed away in Qatar
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Serious ???? 
What was the kind of things he was covering?
He wasn't even 50, reportedly healthy and looks fit.
The guy gets detained for wearing a LGBQT shirt in Qata, and was apparently investigating Qatar's migrant worker situation, and just a couple weeks later, collapses and dies?
The guy gets detained for wearing a LGBQT shirt in Qata, and was apparently investigating Qatar's migrant worker situation, and just a couple weeks later, collapses and dies?
this looks ... odd.
I seriousness doubt Qatar would do anything that stupid but this does sound extremely fishy at first glance.
I seriousness doubt Qatar would do anything that stupid but this does sound extremely fishy at first glance.
He's the journo who reported he was turned away from entering a stadium because he was wearing a pride t-shirt. It made quite a few headlines a couple of weeks ago. He was apparently also working on a story on migrant deaths. Seems to have died suddenly while covering Netherlands/Argentina today.
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That's horribly sad. It's not uncommon for seemingly healthy people to have massive heart attacks out of the blue so I think it's early to throw blame at the Qatari WC.
He published a fair bit on migrant conditions in the months leading up to the WC.
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If he was murdered for covering the LGBTQ and migrant issues then there need to be serious repercussions
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Crazy news. One of the most, if not the most, reputable football journalists in the US.
I can't wrap my brain around the idea that anyone, even a petrostate, would be bold enough to try and silence a foreign journalist as visible as him (yes I know about Khashoggi but he was a Saudi national murdered by the Saudi govt). They would have to know they're not getting away with that when the whole world's attention is on them.
I can't wrap my brain around the idea that anyone, even a petrostate, would be bold enough to try and silence a foreign journalist as visible as him (yes I know about Khashoggi but he was a Saudi national murdered by the Saudi govt). They would have to know they're not getting away with that when the whole world's attention is on them.
What's there to suggest he was murdered?
The Autopsy should not be done by Qatar in this case. And I agree, if its true might as well boycott the competition. Me personally I dont think theyre ready to host, especially because of their culture.
We will find out soon enough. He was a healthy guy in good shape covering very controversial issues that embarrassed the Qatari government.
If Qatar were ordering hits for anyone defending LGBTQ and migrants and/or criticising Qatar for abysmal human rights track record, then the body count would be much higher.
Also, Qatar would not order a hit on a US journalist, US being one of the key strategic economic partners of Qatar.
Also, Qatar would not order a hit on a US journalist, US being one of the key strategic economic partners of Qatar.
If he was killed it could be a random person who recognized him from his social media and TV appearances, or maybe not. He has been pretty much all over the place in recent weeks.
I really think that with the amount of evidence you've laid out here, it's ridiculous to assume anything right now.
Very sad. A big concern has to be whether Qatar will allow an independent investigation or autopsy to confirm the cause of death.
I’m just saying that Qatari government would not risk ordering a hit on a US journalist, in particular during WC where all the eyes are looking at them.
This is what some of the tweets posted above implied.
Yeah but he apparently fainted, so it's not like someone recognized him and shot or stabbed him. Presumably it was either a poisoning or natural causes, not a heat of the moment murder.
Obviously it could absolutely be natural causes, but sometimes these things do have backing among big people who are in or sort of in government/the ruling class but aren't ordered from the top or anything, just lots of rich uncles and cousins and nephews, the American equivalent being Michael Flynn doing some insane shit, not sure who would be a good example in England.
Can't make a guess right now, but "they wouldn't do it" is shaky ground. Journalists get killed a ton of places and imprisoned damn near everywhere.
It’ll be anti-climax if it doesn’t fit the narrative in the end
Yeah... very, VERY important. The same Qatar government who initially said 37 migrant workers died when the real number is estimated to be 6500?
He said he felt sick yesterday. Fatal heart attacks are usually like that.
According to his podcast, he'd been seen for suspected bronchitis at a hospital earlier this week. Numerous teams have reported respiratory illnesses over the course of the World Cup. Grant was a healthy guy who ran a ton and worked out on a rower regularly (posted about it on IG). Whether his death was a result of foul play or incompetence (something like Legionnaire's Disease from shitty air conditioning), it needs to be determined by an independent investigation led by the FBI and State Department. He embarrassed both Qatar and FIFA in the last decade, and his death warrants serious scrutiny. Grant's wife (a renowned epidemiologist who served in the presidential transition) should have more than enough connections with the Biden Administration to ensure that this is investigated.
On a personal note, I met Grant in 2015 when he visited my university's campus. He was talking about the growth of women's soccer in the US and was incredibly kind and engaging. This is unbelievable.
On a personal note, I met Grant in 2015 when he visited my university's campus. He was talking about the growth of women's soccer in the US and was incredibly kind and engaging. This is unbelievable.
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This indicates it could be quite bad
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RIP Grant. One of the top soccer journalists in the US and, by all accounts, a good dude as well. feck, this is so sad.
Yeah makes sense. They did say he was under the weather with bronchitis.
Actually an autopsy could probably shed light on this as if it was a normal heart attack, there would be sign of scar tissue in the interior of the heart or there would be atherosclerotic coronary arteries. If neither of those are present it increases the chance there was foul play as various toxins can cause heart attacks.
Wouldn't be surprised if it's natural causes to be honest.
Since he was sick I'd say it's the likeliest thing, so unless further news breaks this story should just simmer until there's autopsy news or news about the autopsy being delayed or negotiations between the U.S and Qatar. Might be arguments about the chain of custody of the body or the timeline next maybe, as the story will have people pushing it from all sides.
Also to watch is how the U.S and other journalists react, do any leave the country immediately or not.
I can't imagine they would leave if its natural causes.
Just saw this. Very sad and too young.
It's probably natural causes, but it says a whole lot that you couldn't rule out foul play and it isn't exactly a 1% doubt either...
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RIP to Grant. Sad news.
Doubt they would be so stupid to try anything foul when the eyes of the world are on them and he made quite a name for himself with the whole rainbow shirt thing. Never heard of him before then tbh but I am not American.
Doubt they would be so stupid to try anything foul when the eyes of the world are on them and he made quite a name for himself with the whole rainbow shirt thing. Never heard of him before then tbh but I am not American.
I honestly doubt they're that stupid to kill an American Citizen over something he wrote. Let's just wait for autopsy report
fecking hell...he was the top soccer journalist in the U.S. for a while now, even after leaving Sports Illustrated. In general, he was a top sports journalist. Incredibly sad.
I don't think they'll know, but it sounds like his health being bad this week will be a solid enough story that barring some new development, they won't leave. But autopsy will be needed to confirm it was natural causes.