Granit Xhaka Under Investigation for Forged Covid-19 Vaccine Certificate
Granit Xhaka, the captain and heartbeat of Switzerland’s national team, is under criminal investigation in his home country over allegations he obtained a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate.
Prosecutors in Lucerne confirmed they have opened proceedings to determine whether any criminal offence was committed in acquiring what they describe as a “false or forged” certificate. The case centres on 2022, when proof of vaccination or recovery was still required in Switzerland for certain activities and, crucially for an international footballer, for some travel abroad.
At the time, Xhaka was playing for Arsenal. He is now at Sunderland, but it is his actions during that period – and his admission this week – that have pushed him into the legal spotlight.
Xhaka admits “mistake” and mistrust of vaccine
On Monday, the 33-year-old posted a lengthy statement on social media, publicly acknowledging he had not trusted the vaccine and allowed doubts to steer his decision.
He wrote that he had a “mistrust” towards the Covid-19 vaccine and had been “influenced by worries and uncertainty”. Instead of seeking medical clarification, he said, he chose a different route.
“In this troubled state of mind I acquired a vaccine certificate, instead of clarifying my unanswered questions in the proper way,” he admitted.
“Today I see clearly, that this way was not correct. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.
“I take responsibility for this decision, will engage with the process of establishing the facts and fully co-operate with the relevant authorities.”
The Swiss office of public health underlined the context: Switzerland never imposed a blanket legal obligation to hold a Covid certificate. But the document became a gatekeeper. Access to certain venues, events and international travel depended on it, limiting participation for anyone who chose to remain unvaccinated or could not show proof of recovery or a negative test.
Those measures stayed in place until spring 2022. After that, certificates were still issued, largely to help people meet entry rules in other countries.
Swiss FA acts as captain steps away
The fallout has quickly reached the national team.
The Swiss Football Association confirmed that Xhaka, the country’s record appearance holder with 152 caps, has withdrawn from the squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia.
According to the association, the decision was taken jointly by the player and the coaching staff after his public statement. The governing body added that Xhaka’s long-term role with the national side will be discussed only after the current international window.
Switzerland face North Macedonia and Scotland away on 26 and 29 September, before hosting Slovenia and North Macedonia in early October. They will do so without the man who has worn the armband and set the tone for a decade.
Club keep distance as legal process begins
Back in England, Sunderland are keeping their distance from the controversy.
Head coach Regis le Bris was asked about the allegations following the Black Cats’ defeat at Manchester City on Sunday and declined to be drawn into the issue.
“It is not my area to speak about those problems or situations,” he said. “My area is football. About football, he is really good.”
For now, that is the line from his club: performance on the pitch, silence on everything else.
Xhaka captained Switzerland at the World Cup earlier this year, leading them to the quarter-finals before they were knocked out by eventual runners-up Argentina. Now, instead of plotting the next chapter of his international career, he finds himself answering to prosecutors at home and waiting to discover whether this “mistake”, as he calls it, will cost him far more than just a place in the next national team squad.
