Granit Xhaka Investigated Over Alleged Forged Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate

Granit Xhaka, the captain of Switzerland and the country’s record appearance holder, is under formal investigation in his homeland over allegations he obtained a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate.

Prosecutors in Lucerne confirmed an inquiry is under way 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 was still required in Switzerland for certain travel and access to venues.

At the time, Xhaka was playing for Arsenal. He is now at Sunderland, but the fallout has followed him.

Xhaka admits “mistake” and mistrust

On Monday, the 33-year-old released a candid statement on social media, explaining his state of mind when he obtained the certificate.

He said he had a “mistrust” of the vaccine and felt “influenced by worries and uncertainty”. Instead of seeking medical advice or official clarification, he chose a shortcut.

“In this troubled state of mind I acquired a vaccine certificate, instead of clarifying my unanswered questions in the proper way,” he wrote.

“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.”

His words mark a rare public admission from a leading international footballer over conduct during the pandemic era, at a time when rules around health, travel and personal freedom were under intense scrutiny.

Swiss rules and the legal backdrop

The Swiss office of public health stressed that there was never a blanket legal obligation for residents to obtain or hold a Covid-19 certificate.

However, life without one was heavily restricted.

Certificates were needed for access to a range of activities and venues, as well as for certain travel, which meant those without them faced limits on participation in everyday and professional life. Those measures remained in place until spring 2022.

After that, certificates did not disappear. They continued to be issued, mainly to help people meet entry rules when travelling abroad. It is within this framework that the allegations against Xhaka have emerged.

Out of the national team camp

The immediate sporting impact has hit the national side.

The Swiss Football Association announced that Xhaka has withdrawn from the squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia.

The association said the decision was taken jointly by the player and the team management after his public statement. His long-term role with the national team is now on the table.

They will revisit Xhaka’s future after the current international window, a significant moment given his status as the nation’s most-capped player with 152 appearances.

Switzerland face North Macedonia and Scotland away on 26 and 29 September, then host Slovenia and North Macedonia in early October. They will do so without the man who has been at the heart of their midfield and their leadership group for more than a decade.

Club silence and a complicated season

Back in England, Sunderland head coach Regis le Bris kept his distance from the storm.

Asked about the allegations after the Black Cats’ defeat at Manchester City on Sunday, he refused to be drawn into the off-field saga.

“It is not my area to speak about those problems or situations,” he said. “My area is football. About football, he is really good.”

It was a pointed line: praise for the player, a clear barrier around the legal case.

Xhaka captained Switzerland at the World Cup earlier this year, guiding them to the quarter-finals before they were knocked out by eventual runners-up Argentina. He arrived in that tournament as the face of a mature, battle-tested Swiss generation.

Now, as prosecutors investigate and his federation pauses his international involvement, the question hangs over him: can the leader of a national team simply step back from this and walk straight back into the armband, or has the landscape shifted for good?