Xhaka receives suspended fine As covid-19 certificate scandal looms
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka, who also leads Sunderland, has been handed a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs for obtaining a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate, while his club prepares to host Brighton on Saturday.
The court ordered the fine to be suspended for two years on the condition that Xhaka commits no further offences, and he has already settled the associated court costs.
Legal repercussions and court decision
"A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that," Xhaka wrote in German on Instagram. He added, "I was sentenced by summary judgment for obtaining a false certification to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of CHF 3,000 each." He also thanked supporters for their messages.
Read the public‑health office’s clarification that, although there was never a blanket legal requirement for a Covid‑19 certificate, it was needed for access to certain venues and travel in Switzerland until the spring of 2022. The certificate in question is alleged to have been obtained in 2022 when such proof was required for some overseas journeys.
Conditional fine of 150,000 francs for Swiss captain Xhaka
Football implications and upcoming fixtures
Xhaka remains Switzerland’s record appearance holder with 152 caps and captained the side at the World Cup, where they exited in the quarter‑finals to Argentina. After his September 2022 statement expressing mistrust of the vaccine, he withdrew from the national camp for Nations League matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia.
He is expected back in action for Sunderland’s home game against Brighton, and manager Regis Le Bris said, "No comment on external topics but from what I’ve seen during the international break, he has trained really well. It’s positive. He’s in a good place football‑wise and for me that is the most important."
The juxtaposition of a legal sanction with a swift return to club duties highlights how the midfielder’s off‑field controversy is being managed alongside his on‑field responsibilities.