Sunderland and Switzerland captain removed from Nations League team after it is revealed he allegedly obtained a fake coronavirus vaccination certificate

33-year-old Granit Xhaka, Sunderland and Switzerland captain, has been removed from his Nations League team after it was revealed that he allegedly obtained a fake coronavirus vaccination certificate in 2022 after testing positive, when he played for Arsenal and also represented his national team. The vaccination was a requirement in Switzerland for some travel abroad.

This was revealed following the launch of a criminal investigation in Switzerland which has revealed that a doctor’s practice in Lucerne, Switzerland, had allegedly issued these fraudulent certificates to a number of patients.

Xhaka has now been banned from representing his country in the UEFA Nations League. He could also face a wider football ban if convicted, which happened to former manager of German club Werder Bremen, Markus Anfang, for doing the same thing to avoid regular testing.

Anfang was suspended for 12 months and fined around £16,700.

There’s also the small possibility that Xhaka could face 5 years in prison but will most likely be fined instead.

Xhaka posted the following statement on Instagram: “In recent days, there has been much reporting about a matter from my past. I would like to address this personally. Regarding the Covid-19 vaccination, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns at the time. I felt a deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty…

In this turbulent emotional state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the proper channels. Today I clearly see that this was the wrong approach. It was a mistake. I am sorry…

I take responsibility for this decision, am committed to investigating the matter, and am fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.”

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