Swiss captain Xhaka sidelined over fake COVID certificate

Swiss football captain Granit Xhaka will miss the upcoming international camp, as he admitted to obtaining a fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The Swiss Football Association (SFV) confirmed this decision, made jointly with the player after Xhaka issued a public statement on social media. In his statement, Xhaka admitted the mistake, expressing regret for his actions.

He stated, "In this agitated emotional state, I acquired a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the intended path. Today I see clearly that this path was not right. It was a mistake. I am sorry." Xhaka, who plays for Sunderland in the Premier League, has been an international for Switzerland since 2011 and holds the record for the most appearances with 152 caps.

SFV President Peter Knaebel praised Xhaka's willingness to accept responsibility. He said, "Granit Xhaka informed us about the situation yesterday evening and told us at the same time that he would comment publicly on it and take responsibility." The association agreed that Xhaka's absence is best for the team and that the focus should now be on maintaining calm ahead of their UEFA Nations League fixtures.

Switzerland is set to play away matches against North Macedonia and Scotland, followed by home games against Slovenia and North Macedonia. The SFV stated they will reassess Xhaka's situation after the international window concludes.