Glasgow fan throws “Free Xhaka” into the centre of the Swiss debate
A fan of the Swiss national team held up a sign reading “Free Xhaka” on Tuesday during the away match in Glasgow, one that AFP distributed and immediately sparked public debate after the game about the player’s place in the “Nati”.
Pandemic Returns to Swiss Debate
Six and a half years ago, the coronavirus halted all sporting activity. Today the pandemic seems largely forgotten in many places, but in Switzerland it is returning with force to the public debate. Recent revelations about forged certificates from national players and a former ice‑hockey coach have brought the issue back into focus.
The captain of the Swiss national team, Granit Xhaka, came under criticism after a report by the tabloid “Blick”. The Lucerne public prosecutor is investigating him and a doctor who allegedly issued a vaccination confirmation without a vaccination. Xhaka admitted three days after the allegations that he had bought a certificate in spring 2022, and reached an agreement with the Swiss Football Association to miss the next four international matches.
Breel Embolo: Test Certificates, Exclusion and Public Outcry
Breel Embolo was excluded from the squad by the association one day before the first match against North Macedonia. Swiss national coach Murat Yakin confirmed that they had been informed three days before the game of a conviction for incitement to document fraud. Earlier investigations showed that Embolo bought two COVID‑19 test certificates in 2021 through a member of the Hells Angels; the intermediary has since been convicted of fraud and sexual offences.
The former ice‑hockey national coach Patrick Fischer admitted in April that he had traveled to the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing with a forged vaccination certificate, after which he was dismissed. In the current debate Fischer expressed his regret for Granit Xhaka and said: “I’m sorry for Granit. I understand his reasons.” The “Tages‑Anzeiger” reported that Xhaka had used the certificate for a USA trip with Arsenal, but he has not yet commented.
Public Reactions and Media Controversy
The media responses are divided. Swiss TV commentator Sascha Ruefer criticised the association and said he was the only one who had been surprised. Former international Benjamin Huggel asked via WhatsApp whether Xhaka was still a role model, and Swiss football journalists are debating whether players must lead by good example or whether the cases merely represent the tip of a daily fraud operation.
The fan who displayed the “Free Xhaka” sign in Glasgow was photographed by AFP and the image quickly spread via the official app of the Swiss Football Association. The caption emphasized that the forged certificates bring back the COVID‑19 era and reignite the discussion about the players’ place.
The juxtaposition of tough legal measures and broad public outrage shows that the pandemic in Switzerland is once again present not only medically but also sportingly. How the debate proceeds now depends on the association’s decisions and the reaction of the affected players.