Granit Xhaka could face jail after admitting to fake Covid certificate
Granit Xhaka, the 33‑year‑old Sunderland captain, has admitted obtaining a forged Covid‑19 vaccination certificate and now faces a criminal investigation that could lead to a jail term. He withdrew from the Switzerland national squad ahead of the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures after the admission, which he posted on Monday.
The Lucerne Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office opened a case to determine whether Xhaka’s actions constitute document forgery.
“The aim is to clarify whether there has been conduct relevant under criminal law in connection with the possible fraudulent obtaining of a false certification and/or document forgery,”a spokesperson said. Swiss law allows a fine or up to five years in prison for such offences.
Swiss FA response
Swiss Football Association president Peter Knabel confirmed Xhaka had informed the federation and that the decision to omit him from the squad was taken jointly.
“We welcome Granit taking this step and facing the consequences. At the same time, we concluded it is in the team’s best interest to complete this training camp without him,”he added.
The national side will play North Macedonia twice, Scotland and Slovenia in the Nations League B group while Xhaka remains absent. The FA said it will reassess the situation after the international window concludes.
Xhaka’s personal admission
In an Instagram post on Monday, Xhaka wrote: “In recent days, there has been much reporting about a matter from my past… Regarding the Covid‑19 vaccination, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns at the time. I felt deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty.”
He continued, “In this turbulent emotional state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the proper channels. Today I clearly see that this was the wrong course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry. I take responsibility and am fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.”
While Xhaka was an Arsenal midfielder when he obtained the false document, he now captains Sunderland in the English league, a move that saw him transferred for £17 million in 2025. The former Arsenal player’s club has not commented on the legal matter.
Xhaka remains Switzerland’s record appearance maker with 152 caps and continues to serve as Sunderland’s captain. The investigation is pending, and the prosecutor has stressed the presumption of innocence until a verdict is reached.
The next steps involve Xhaka’s meeting with Swiss authorities, expected next month, and a possible re‑evaluation of his national team status after the Nations League window ends.