Granit Xhaka breaks silence after fake Covid vaccine certificate claims spark Swiss investigation and potential 5 years of jail time

Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has issued a public apology after admitting he obtained a Covid-19 vaccination certificate despite not receiving the vaccine. The Switzerland international is now under investigation by the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office over the matter.Xhaka, 33, has also withdrawn from Switzerland’s upcoming Nations League fixtures. Swiss authorities are investigating whether the certificate involved forgery or falsification of documents. The offences can carry a maximum prison sentence of five years under Swiss law, although reports suggest a custodial sentence is considered highly unlikely in Xhaka’s case.Granit Xhaka admits mistake and agrees to cooperate with authoritiesGranit Xhaka was playing for Arsenal when the incident allegedly took place in 2022. He has now accepted responsibility for his actions and said he will cooperate fully with the investigation.The Sunderland midfielder released a statement on Monday after reports about the case emerged.“In recent days, a lot has been reported about an issue from my past. I would like to address it personally. At the time, in connection with the Covid-19 vaccination, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns. I had deep distrust of the vaccine and was affected by fear and uncertainty”, he wrote.“In this emotionally charged situation, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of having my unanswered questions clarified through the proper channels. Today, I clearly see that this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry. I take responsibility for the decision, will face the process of clarifying the facts, and will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities”, he added.According to Swiss authorities, the investigation is being handled by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Lucerne. Authorities are examining whether Xhaka was involved in behaviour linked to a possible false notarisation or falsification of documents.The authorities also stressed that Xhaka is presumed innocent while the investigation remains ongoing.The Switzerland captain is expected to appear before the public prosecutor’s office next month.The Swiss FA has also confirmed that Xhaka will not take part in the upcoming international camp. The decision was reached jointly after discussions between the player and federation officials.Peter Knäbel, president of the Swiss FA, said Xhaka informed the federation about the situation and wanted to take responsibility.“Granit Xhaka informed us about the situation last night and told us that he will address it publicly and take responsibility,” he said.“We welcome Granit taking this step and facing the consequences. At the same time, we jointly concluded that it is in the team’s best interest to complete this training camp without him. Our priority now is to calm the situation and focus entirely on the team and the upcoming challenges in the UEFA Nations League. After the conclusion of this international match window, we will reassess the situation together with Granit and discuss the next steps”, he added.Xhaka will therefore miss Switzerland’s upcoming fixtures involving North Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia.The midfielder joined Sunderland in 2025 after leaving Bayer Leverkusen. He had previously spent several years at Arsenal and later helped Leverkusen win the Bundesliga and German Cup.Xhaka has also been Switzerland’s captain and is the country’s record appearance holder, with 152 international appearances.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.