Granit Xhaka withdrew from Switzerland’s national team squad as authorities investigated a false Covid-19 vaccination certificate linked to the midfielder.
The Sunderland player admitted that he obtained a vaccination certificate during a period when he felt deeply uncertain about the Covid-19 vaccine. He said he now recognized that decision as a mistake and planned to cooperate fully with investigators.
Granit Xhaka will miss Switzerland’s upcoming Nations League matches after admitting he bought a false Covid vaccination certificate
Xhaka addressed the Granit Xhaka fake Covid certificate controversy in a public statement after reports about the matter emerged as per The National.
“At the time, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns regarding the Covid-19 vaccination,” Xhaka said. “I felt deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty.”
He explained that those concerns influenced his decision to obtain a vaccination certificate instead of seeking answers through the proper channels.
“Today I clearly see that this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry,” Xhaka said.
The Switzerland national team captain also accepted responsibility and said he would assist authorities as they examined the circumstances surrounding the certificate.
The Swiss Football Association confirmed that Xhaka would not participate during the international break. Association president Peter Knabel said Xhaka informed officials about the situation before publicly addressing it.
Knabel said the federation welcomed Xhaka’s decision to take responsibility. Officials also agreed that the team should continue its training camp without him as Switzerland prepared for its upcoming Nations League matches.
The investigation centered on whether Xhaka’s actions potentially involved criminal conduct connected to obtaining a false certification or document forgery.
A spokesperson for the Lucerne Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office said authorities wanted to determine whether any criminally relevant conduct had occurred.
The situation temporarily removed Xhaka from Switzerland soccer duties while the investigation continued. His statement made clear that he regretted his past decision and intended to cooperate with the relevant authorities.
For now, the Sunderland midfielder remained unavailable to Switzerland as the squad focused on its Nations League campaign.
