Granit Xhaka handed suspended 150,000 Swiss franc fine over fake COVID-19 vaccine certificate

Switzerland and Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was on Thursday handed a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs (around 1.7 crore rupees) after a public prosecutor issued a decision over his use of a fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination certificate. Xhaka said he accepts the ruling, will take responsibility for his actions and that the fine will not be enforced if he does not commit another offence during a two-year probationary period; he has also paid the associated court costs.

The fraudulent certificate dated from 2022, when Xhaka was playing for Arsenal, and he publicly acknowledged the matter in September, calling his decision a mistake and saying he had a deep mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccine at the time. Xhaka is 34 and has previously stated he would accept responsibility for the episode; that stance remained after the public prosecutor issued its decision.

Xhaka made a social media post reiterating his earlier commitment: "A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that," he wrote. "After I gave a full statement to the public prosecutor's office, the public prosecutor's decision has now been issued. I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions." He also thanked those who supported him during the process.

The case has already had immediate consequences for Xhaka's international involvement. He was left out of Switzerland's squad for four UEFA Nations League matches in the second-tier group following his admission, with Switzerland winning all four games while he remained away from the team as he dealt with the matter in Lucerne.

Xhaka is the record appearance holder for Switzerland with 152 caps and serves as captain at club level for Sunderland; his standing in the national setup is unresolved following the prosecutor's decision. Swiss Football Association president Peter Knabel commented on the situation, saying: "We welcome Granit taking this step and facing the consequences," and adding: "At the same time, we jointly concluded that it is in the team's best interest to complete this training camp without him."

Knabel said the player's status would be revisited after the international break: "After the conclusion of this international match window, we will reassess the situation together with Granit and discuss the next steps." The reassessment with Xhaka and the Swiss Football Association will determine whether he returns to the national team.