Suspended fine for Xhaka over Covid-19 certificate

Sunderland and Switzerland's captain Granit Xhaka has received a suspended fine of £136,000 for obtaining a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate from 2022. The 34-year-old claims the fine will be suspended for two years provided he refrains from further offenses and has already paid the court costs. Xhaka posted a statement on Instagram, accepting responsibility for his actions and expressing gratitude for the support received.

The midfielder, who played for Arsenal in 2022, had expressed skepticism towards the vaccine, citing worries and uncertainty. Switzerland, despite not having a legal requirement for such certificates, enforced them for access to various activities, venues, and travel. Xhaka, who holds the record for the most appearances for Switzerland with 152 caps, withdrew from his national team's camp after the international break that concluded recently.

He is expected to return to action for Sunderland against Brighton on Saturday. Sunderland manager Regis le Bris noted that Xhaka has trained well during the international break, expressing confidence in his return to the pitch.