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UFC Announcer Jon Anik & Prominent MMA Reporter Ariel Helwani Join Millions in Mourning Saddening Loss of Sports Journalist Grant Wahl Covering the World Cup in Qatar

Published 12/11/2022, 12:40 PM EST

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Grant Wahl was a household name in the field of Sports Journalism in the US. Wahl was primarily a soccer reporter and writer with an appreciable 26-year-long career. A major portion of the entire sporting world was overtaken by grief as the news of Wahl’s passing away circulated over social media on 10 December. The 48-year-old was in Qatar to cover the coveted FIFA World Cup 2022 while his demise. He was reported to have collapsed while he was in the press box of the Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar. He was there in order to cover the highly anticipated quarterfinal between Argentina and The Netherlands.

Wahl went on to say that he wasn’t feeling very well throughout his FIFA World Cup coverage tour. He complained about having some chest-related problems and also visited the medical clinic at the World Cup Media Center. He was also advised to take cough syrup and antibiotics due to suspected bronchitis. Some noted MMA coverage personalities also put out heartfelt posts on the demise of the noted journalist.

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Ariel Helwani was grief-struck at the demise of Grant Wahl

The famed MMA coverage persona, Ariel Helwani, was apparently taken down by the shocking news of Wahl’s demise. He shared the tweet from the official Twitter handle of U.S. Soccer, which mourned the demise of Wahl.

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Helwani’s caption read, “I am in a state of shock. I truly can’t believe this. Grant Wahl was an incredible journalist and a better human being. A kinder soul you’ll never meet. This is shocking. Sincerely hope foul play is not involved stemming from his incredible reporting on Qatar. This is a nightmare”

However, some eyebrows are bound to rise due to Helwani’s words related to “foul play” in his caption.

He also replied to his own tweet and mentioned an incident where he had the opportunity to meet the now-deceased Wahl.

Helwani wrote, “I spent a night with Grant last year. Was blown away by how kind he was. Read his work for years. He is soccer media in the US. The gold standard. The best. This is really hard to stomach. I truly can’t believe especially after what happened recently. May he rest in peace.”

 Jon Anik also mourned Grant Wahl’s demise

Helwani’s retweet also received a reply from the UFC play-by-play commentator, Jon Anik. He was also moved by the news of Wahl’s untimely demise. Anik’s reply to Helwani’s retweet read, “So sad.”

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The ‘joint-hands’ emoji implied his wishes that the soul of Wahl’s may rest in peace. This tragic event was also mourned by a lot of other soccer personalities. The Official soccer governing bodies of some countries like Canada, England, and some others replied to the tweet of U.S. Soccer with condolences and heartbroken messages for the deceased.

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We at Essentially Sports also convey our condolences to the near and dear ones of Grant Wahl. He shall live on in the memories of thousands of soccer fans and journalists all around the world.

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Written by:

Souvik Roy

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Souvik Roy is currently a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. An avid UFC follower, Souvik combined his love for the sport and his passion for words to turn his interest into his Livelihood. A Diploma holder in Electrical Engineering, Souvik has worked as a Freelance Link Builder and Content Writer previously and wrote for various clients and businesses.
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