Second Journalist Dies Suddenly While Covering World Cup in Qatar

A second sports journalist has ‘died suddenly’ while covering the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Khalid al-Misslam, a photojournalist for local sports outlet Al Kass TV, died on Saturday, the Doha-based Gulf Times reported.

“Al Kass TV photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam passed away recently. 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,” Gulf Times tweeted.

Al Kass TV photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam passed away recently.
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. pic.twitter.com/M1ZyoBJWkW

— Gulf Times (@GulfTimes_QATAR) December 10, 2022

Neither the Qatari government nor the local media outlets revealed the circumstances of the journalist’s death, but this was the second death of a journalist at the World Cup this year.

A second journalist dies in Qatar whilst covering the #WorldCup. Photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam from Qatari news channel Al Kass TV passed away on Saturday; a day before that, US soccer journalist Grant Wahl, 48, collapsed at the match between Argentina and the Netherlands. pic.twitter.com/yy7tXdQl8B

— Monica Grayley (@MonicaGrayley) December 11, 2022

Breitbart explained:

Al-Misslam’s death came only hours after long-time soccer reporter Grant Wahl, 49, died after collapsing at the Lusail Stadium while covering the quarter-final game between Argentina and the Netherlands.

Wahl caused a stir this year by wearing an LGBTQ-themed shirt during the games in the infamously anti-gay country. And that act caused Wahl’s brother, who is gay, to charge that the journalist was murdered by Qatari operatives.

However, Wahl had taken himself to the World Cup’s medical facilities complaining of exhaustion and other ailments only a few days before he died in the stands during Friday’s game.

Later reports noted that he had been forced to take several days off from covering the games because he was ill, had a bad case of bronchitis, and was having trouble sleeping.