Granit Xhaka Faces Criminal Investigation Over Forged Vaccine Certificate

Granit Xhaka, the captain and beating heart of the Swiss national team, is at the centre of a criminal investigation in his home country over an alleged forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate.

Prosecutors in Lucerne confirmed they have opened proceedings to examine whether the 33-year-old obtained a “false or forged” certificate in 2022, at a time when proof of vaccination was still required in Switzerland for certain activities and for travel abroad.

Xhaka admits ‘mistake’ and mistrust of vaccine

Now at Sunderland but playing for Arsenal at the time of the alleged offence, Xhaka moved first on Monday with a public statement on social media. He did not dispute obtaining a certificate and instead laid bare his state of mind during the pandemic.

He spoke of a “mistrust” towards the vaccine and said he had been “influenced by worries and uncertainty”.

“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.”

The words mark a stark moment for Switzerland’s record appearance holder, a player long used to scrutiny but rarely to this kind of off-field spotlight.

How the rules worked in Switzerland

The Swiss office of public health underlined the context. Switzerland never imposed a blanket legal obligation to obtain or hold a Covid-19 certificate. Life was still possible without one, but with limits.

Certificates were needed for access to a range of activities and venues and for travel, which meant those without them faced restrictions. Those measures remained in place until spring 2022. After that, certificates were still issued, mainly to help people meet foreign entry rules when crossing borders.

It is during that late phase of the system that Xhaka is alleged to have obtained the forged document.

Switzerland camp rocked and captain steps away

The fallout has reached the national team. The Swiss Football Association confirmed that Xhaka has withdrawn from the squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia.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 national-team management after his statement went public. Officials will revisit Xhaka’s role and future with the side once the current international window is over.

Switzerland face North Macedonia and Scotland away on 26 and 29 September, before home matches against Slovenia and North Macedonia in early October. They will go into that run without the man who has worn the armband and set the tone for years.

Club keep distance as legal process begins

At club level, Sunderland are staying firmly on the sidelines. After the Black Cats’ defeat at Manchester City on Sunday, head coach Regis le Bris refused to be drawn into the controversy.

“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 divide: prosecutors in Lucerne handling the legal questions, football authorities managing the sporting consequences, and Xhaka himself promising cooperation.

He captained Switzerland at the World Cup earlier this year, leading them to the quarter-finals before they fell to eventual runners-up Argentina.

Now the country’s most-capped player must fight to protect not just his reputation, but his place at the head of a team built in his image.