Swiss prosecutors are probing allegations that Granit Xhaka, the 33‑year‑old captain of the national team, acquired a forged Covid‑19 vaccination certificate in 2022, when such documents were required for certain travel and venue access in Switzerland.
The public prosecutor’s office in Lucerne confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine whether any criminal conduct occurred in obtaining a “false or forged” certificate. Xhaka, who was playing for Arsenal at the time, posted a statement on social media admitting that a “mistrust” toward the vaccine and “worries and uncertainty” led him to obtain a certificate rather than seek clarification.
He said, “In this troubled state of mind, I acquired a vaccine certificate instead of clarifying my unanswered questions in the proper way. Today I see clearly that this way was not correct. It was a mistake. I’m sorry. I take responsibility for this decision and will engage with the process of establishing the facts and fully co‑operate with the relevant authorities.”
The Swiss Office of Public Health noted that while no general legal requirement existed to hold a certificate, it was necessary for access to various activities, venues and travel until spring 2022. Certificates continued to be issued thereafter mainly to satisfy entry requirements for overseas travel.
It remains unclear what penalties Xhaka could face. In 2023, former Switzerland men’s ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer was found guilty of using a fake Covid certificate to work at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and was fined 38,000 Swiss francs. Fischer was later sacked from his national role and banned for four years by the International Ice Hockey Federation.
The Swiss Football Association announced that Xhaka had withdrawn from the national camp for the upcoming Nations League matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia following his statement. The decision was made jointly by the player and management, and the association will discuss his future with the team after the international window.
Switzerland’s away fixtures against North Macedonia and Scotland are scheduled for 26 and 29 September, with home games against Slovenia and North Macedonia in early October. Sunderland manager Regis le Bris declined to comment on the allegations, stating that his focus is on football.
After captaining Switzerland at the World Cup earlier this year, where the team exited in the quarter‑finals to Argentina, Xhaka’s legal situation adds a new challenge to his international career.
