Xhaka admits buying a certificate and skips Nations League camp
On Monday morning, Granit Xhaka laid his cards on the table: The 33‑year‑old national team captain admits having purchased a vaccination certificate, and thereby confirms the suspicion that was raised against him four days earlier.
Confession and Consequences
"In connection with the Covid‑19 vaccination I was personally very unsettled at the time and had serious doubts," Xhaka wrote in a statement. He described deep mistrust of the vaccine and admitted that, in that agitation, he had bought a certificate.
The captain apologized explicitly: "I'm sorry. I take responsibility and will cooperate fully with the authorities." He emphasized that he wants to "cooperate fully" with the authorities.
The Swiss Football Association (SFV) announced that Xhaka will not take part in the upcoming gathering of the national team. The decision was made jointly in a conversation between Xhaka and the SFV leadership to bring calm to the situation and focus on the squad.
The Swiss national team started a training camp in Belek, Turkey on Monday. The camp is intended to prepare for the first four Nations League matches, which begin next Saturday.
The investigation into a possibly forged Covid certificate was launched four days before Xhaka's confession. By his admission, he confirmed the suspicion that had sparked the discussion about the certificate.
The report comes from Peter Klaunzer, who published the story under the headline "Legend: Granit Xhaka Confesses".