Grant Wahl’s family reveals possible cause of death at World Cup

The brother of influential US soccer journalist Grant Wahl, who died while covering the World Cup in Qatar on Friday, says he no longer suspects foul play in his sibling’s death.

Grant Wahl, 49, had a “death rattle cough” from a stubborn case of bronchitis shortly before he collapsed while covering Argentina’s quarter-final win against the Netherlands, his brother Eric Wahl said.

Eric previously speculated foul play may have been involved since the soccer writer was an outspoken critic of the Qatari government and received death threats after wearing a rainbow shirt to a match.

But Tuesday, the brother wrote on Twitter, “The family will release a statement as to cause of death soon. I no longer suspect foul play. It was not [pulmonary embolism].”

Eric backtracked on an earlier tweet from Monday in which he said, “It seems possible Grant experienced a pulmonary embolism & was in non-shockable state.”

He also claimed there was no portable defibrillator in the stadium but then Monday issued a correction on Twitter, writing that “per a US gov official, FIFA is saying AEDs were available at the stadium,” referring to the devices.

It’s unclear why a defibrillator was not used on Wahl.

Grant Wahl’s body was brought to New York City on Monday for an independent autopsy. His widow, Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious-disease physician who works at Bellevue Hospital, brought his body to a city medical examiner Monday.

Gounder on Tuesday shared a photo with Wahl to Twitter, writing, “I miss you, @GrantWahl.”