Granit Xhaka admits forging vaccination certificate, out of Switzerland squad
Xhaka acknowledged obtaining a false COVID certificate and will stay away from the national team while prosecutors investigate.
Granit Xhaka has admitted he forged a COVID-19 vaccination certificate and will be absent from Switzerland’s national team while a criminal investigation proceeds.
In a post on social media Xhaka acknowledged his role and apologised, saying he would cooperate with the authorities while the case is examined.
Swiss authorities, police searches and a team decision
The Swiss Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal case linked to alleged falsified vaccination documents. Swiss police searched a doctor’s practice in Lucerne in 2023 and seized a large amount of paperwork as part of an investigation into claims that numerous people received false vaccination certificates.
As a result of the ongoing probe, Xhaka — who has been captain of the Swiss side — will not join the national squad for upcoming fixtures, meaning he will not face North Macedonia in the Nations League. The decision was taken jointly by Xhaka and the Swiss Football Association “in the best interest of the national team”.
Xhaka’s statement described his state of mind at the time: "Many things have been published in recent days about an incident from my past. I would like to make a public and personal statement about it. At that time, during the coronavirus pandemic and in relation to vaccination, I personally was very uncertain about it and was seriously worried. I had a deep mistrust of the vaccine and was really frightened and unsure. In that situation of heightened emotions, I obtained the vaccination certificate instead of seeking answers to the questions that troubled me in the right way. Today I clearly see that it was not right, that I did not act correctly. It was a mistake. And I am sorry. I take responsibility for this decision and during the proceedings I will do my best to clarify all the facts, and I will fully cooperate with the competent authorities," Xhaka said.
Earlier, in September 2021, Xhaka missed a Switzerland squad gathering after testing positive for coronavirus — a fact highlighted in reports about his past pandemic-era conduct.
Photo: press material from the event
