Photographer Becomes Second Journalist to Die at the World Cup
A photojournalist has died at the World Cup in Qatar, 48 hours after a U.S. reporter died at the soccer tournament from a reported heart attack.
Qatari Khalid al-Misslam, a photographer working for Al Kass TV, died yesterday (Sunday) with the circumstances of his death not yet known.
The Gulf Times tweeted: “Al Misslam, a Qatari, died suddenly while covering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
“We believe in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, and send our deepest condolences to his family.”
According to the Daily Mail, the news was confirmed by Al Kass TV, who only briefly mentioned his passing away in a live broadcast and appear to be waiting on further details.
American Journalist’s Passing
Al Misslam is the second journalist to pass away in the same weekend at the World Cup with American writer Grant Wahl tragically dying on Saturday.
Wahl collapsed while watching the quarter-final game between Netherlands and Argentina. It’s reported that Wahl fell back in his seat at the Lusail Iconic Stadium and despite the efforts of medical staff who performed CPR and used an automatic chest compressor, his death was announced following a reported heart attack.
Wahl was a seasoned sports reporter who was attending his eighth World Cup. He had reported feeling unwell and had visited a hospital in Qatar earlier in the week.
However, his brother Eric is unconvinced and made an accusation that the journalist was killed because of his comments on the Qatari regime’s stance on LGBT rights. Wahl had worn a rainbow flag shirt over which he had been temporarily detained over after he refused to remove it ahead of the United States’ tournament opener.
Shortly before his death, Wahl had reported on Qatari officials’ indifference to the death of a migrant worker at the Saudi Arabia team’s training camp.
Wahl’s brother Eric said in an emotional Instagram post: “I am the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the World Cup. My brother was healthy. He told me he received death threats. I do not believe my brother just died, I believe he was killed.”
Eric has since tweeted that he is expecting the writer’s body home this week when there will be an autopsy. He has urged people to stop speculating about his brother’s death.
“Please stop with the vaccine nonsense. Because that’s what is it: absolute nonsense. And it’s an insult to our family as Grant’s wife is an epidemiologist.”
