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, suddenly collapsed while covering Argentina’s quarter-final win against the Netherlands due to “death rattle cough”, 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 the story has changed since multiple times.

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].” Originally Eric informed followers that a pulmonary embolism (blood clot) was the culprit, but for some unknown reason, the story quickly changed to “death rattle cough”.

Grant’s wife, Céline Gounder put out a statement shortly before the news broke of the controversial journalist’s untimely death:

“An autopsy was performed by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium. The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms. No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”

Grant arrived home Monday, December 12, and this transition was handled with the utmost care and sensitivity. This was an international matter that required coordination from multiple agencies domestically and internationally, and there was full cooperation from everyone involved. Our sincere gratitude to everyone involved in repatriating Grant, in particular the White House, the U.S. Department of State, FIFA, U.S. Soccer, and American Airlines.

According to eonline.com, Celine also noted in a Substack post on Dec. 14, “The chest pressure he experienced shortly before his death may have represented the initial symptoms. No amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him. His death was unrelated to COVID. His death was unrelated to vaccination status. There was nothing nefarious about his death.”