(Images via Instagram & U.S. Soccer)

Grant Wahl, one of the world's leading sports journalists, died after collapsing Friday in Qatar, where he was covering the World Cup. He was 48.

Wahl had complained of being ill for a week, reporting that medics told him he probably had bronchitis and gave him meds before dismissing him. At one point, he referred to his lingering cough as a “death rattle.”

Nonetheless, Wahl's death is clouded in suspicion, coming hot on the heels of his internationally publicized effort to promote LGBTQ rights — he famously attempted to enter one of the games in Qatar with a rainbow shirt. He was detained, but ultimately freed.

Wahl had also published negative articles about human rights in Qatar, including a piece published ONE DAY before he died that excoriated the country for ignoring the rights of migrant workers.

Wahl's gay brother immediately announced his belief that Wahl was killed:

Absolutely bone chilling stuff

Soccer journalist Grant Wahl who was kicked out of a stadium in QATAR for this shirt has reportedly collapsed and passed away during the Argentina game today

His brother says on Instagram that Grant was fully healthy & believes there’s foul play pic.twitter.com/t47C2XfuVl

— JACK SETTLEMAN (@jacksettleman) December 10, 2022

Of course, his death has also led to a chorus of anti-vaxxers claiming it was a booster shot what done him in because COVID (which he recently had) doesn't kill people, people with needles kill people.

Tragic.