Granit Xhaka Investigated Over Alleged Fake Covid Certificate

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka is facing an investigation by prosecutors in Lucerne over allegations that he obtained a fraudulent Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022.

Swiss authorities confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to establish whether Xhaka committed a criminal offence by obtaining or using a certificate that was false or forged.

Xhaka, 33, who was playing for Arsenal at the time, addressed the matter publicly on Monday. He admitted that he obtained a vaccination certificate after struggling with doubts about the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Sunderland midfielder said he had been affected by "worries and uncertainty" and acknowledged that he should have dealt with his concerns differently.

Xhaka said he now accepts that his decision was wrong, apologized for his actions and confirmed that he would cooperate fully with the investigation.

Although Switzerland did not impose a nationwide legal obligation for everyone to possess a Covid certificate, certificates were required for access to certain venues, activities and forms of travel during the pandemic. Restrictions remained in place until spring 2022, while certificates continued to be issued afterward mainly for international travel.

The potential consequences for Xhaka have not yet been established. A previous Swiss case involving national ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer provides one example of how authorities have dealt with the issue. Fischer was convicted in 2023 after using a fake Covid certificate connected to his participation at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and was fined 38,000 Swiss francs. He was later dismissed from his position and received a four-year ban from the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Following Xhaka's statement, the Swiss Football Association confirmed that he would withdraw from the national team's upcoming Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia.

The association said the decision was reached jointly by Xhaka and the team's management. His future with the national side is expected to be discussed after the international break.

Xhaka is Switzerland's record appearance holder, with 152 international caps. The midfielder also captained the country at this year's World Cup, where Switzerland reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual runners-up Argentina.

At club level, Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris declined to comment on the investigation after his side's defeat by Manchester City.

Le Bris said the matter was outside his responsibility, adding that his focus was football and describing Xhaka's performances on the pitch positively.

The investigation remains ongoing, and no criminal conviction against Xhaka has been reported.