Sunderland’s captain Granit Xhaka has confessed he got a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022 and will not be around Switzerland’s forthcoming Nations League fixtures as he collaborates with an investigation party.
At the time when he was at Arsenal the midfielder admitted that his doubts had a strong grip on him and that together with fears and uncertainty he was led to make a hasty decision.
Xhaka said he was very unsure about the vaccine himself personally at that time as well and the vaccination felt a very long way off, besides, he said that fear and uncertainty had taken over.
“At the time, I was personally very unsettled and had serious reservations about the Covid-19 vaccination. I felt a deep mistrust of the vaccine and was overcome by fears and uncertainty,” Xhaka said.
“In this state of emotional turmoil, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of seeking answers to my unresolved questions through the proper channels.
“Today, I can clearly see that this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry.”
This case is currently being looked into by Lucerne Public Prosecutor’s Office and they plan to talk to xhaka in the beginning of October. Xhaka stated that he would give full cooperation to the authorities.
In a move that shows the Swiss FA’s commitment to the game Peter Knäbel, the President of the Swiss FA, confirmed that xhaka himself and the federation had agreed in advance that it would be best if xhaka stayed away from the match.
The final sanctions will depend on the details of the investigation, which has not yet decided whether xhaka committed a criminal act or not. Xhaka, who happens to be the man who played the most games for male team players in Switzerland, is still a Switzerland international player.
