Fake Covid passes threaten national team: FIFA to sanction Xhaka, Embolo

A perfect storm is bearing down on the Swiss national team, overwhelmed by a genuine media and judicial tsunami that threatens to shatter the dressing room on the eve of the Nations League. Swiss media have already dubbed the affair the “fake Covid passes scandal,” while FIFA watches closely the investigations involving Granit Xhaka and Breel Embalo.

The sporting and legal damage

Switzerland loses its key players not for on‑field reasons, but under the hammer of judicial inquiries, leaving head coach Murat Yakin to manage the wreckage of a sporting credibility reduced to the bare minimum. Former captain Granit Xhaka was immediately excluded to preserve squad harmony, and now faces the risk of heavy criminal sentences.

The concrete accusations

According to the Basel prosecutor’s office, striker Breel Embalo, currently a centre‑forward for Atlanta United, used forged Covid tests for his private travel, receiving a conditional fine of 60,000 Swiss francs. Embalo confessed the act to the federation’s hierarchy, sparking the anger of spokesperson Adrian Arnold.

The investigations also revealed that Xhaka, a midfielder for Sunderland, forged a certificate to deceive U.S. customs authorities in the summer of 2022, in order to take part in Arsenal’s summer tour. A criminal procedure has been opened in Lucerne to shed light on the network of complicit doctors.

At the international level, FIFA is following the evolution of the inquiries with extreme attention: the ethical codes punish fraudulent conduct severely and, if intent is proven, FIFA could trigger a ban of indefinite duration across all official competitions.

The scenario frightens both Sunderland and Atlanta United, who fear colossal image damage and possible suspensions of contracts until the legal case is resolved.

Meanwhile, coach Yakin pleads for the focus to remain solely on the green rectangle, aware that the noise from the courts and FIFA’s hard‑handed blow will long drown out the sound of the kickoff whistle.