{
  "id": 8908828,
  "title": "Granit Xhaka out of Switzerland squad after admitting to faking Covid vaccination",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/granit-xhaka-out-of-switzerland-squad-after-admitting-to-faking-covid",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-21T11:37:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/granit-xhaka-switzerland-squad-admitting-113706410.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has been excluded from the national team's games for the upcoming international break after admitting to using fraudulent vaccination documents during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sunderland midfielder apologized in an Instagram post, admitting he had made a \"mistake\" and expressed deep mistrust of the vaccine. Xhaka obtained a fake vaccination certificate from a doctor who is now being investigated by authorities. The Swiss Football Association confirmed the decision to exclude Xhaka, who is the most-capped player for Switzerland, from the upcoming Nations League games against North Macedonia, Scotland, and Slovenia. The team's president stated that Xhaka could potentially be involved in November's internationals following a joint decision with the player.",
  "summary": "Xhaka, who captain Switzerland to the World Cup quarter-finals this summer, said he had made a ‘mistake’",
  "key_points": [
    "Granit Xhaka removed from Switzerland squad",
    "Faked Covid vaccination documents admitted",
    "Faces potential return in November internationals"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}