Friday, October 9, 2026 -Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has been handed a suspended fine of £136,265 after admitting to forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate while he was an Arsenal player.
The Switzerland international was sentenced to a suspended
fine of 50 daily rates of 3,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to around £2,725 per
day.
The 34-year-old will not have to pay the fine provided he
commits no further offences during a two-year probationary period.
Xhaka revealed the outcome of the investigation after
previously admitting that he had forged the certificate in 2022.
In a statement posted on social media, Xhaka said: "A
few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take
responsibility for my decision. I stand by that.
"After I gave a full statement to the public
prosecutor's office, the public prosecutor's decision has now been issued.
"I was sentenced by summary judgment for obtaining a
false certification to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of CHF 3,000 each,
with a probationary period of two years.
"This means: The sentence will not be carried out if I
do not commit any offences during this period. I have already paid the court
costs.
"I accept the decision and take responsibility for my
actions."
Lucerne's Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that a
penalty order had been issued but said it could not comment further because the
proceedings had not yet been finalised.
Xhaka admitted in September that he had forged the vaccination certificate while experiencing what he described as a "deep mistrust" and "serious reservations" about the Covid-19 vaccination.
He said he was "very unsettled" at the time and had made the decision in a "state of emotional turmoil" rather than seeking answers to his concerns through the appropriate channels.
The revelation led to Xhaka being left out of Switzerland's
squad for the following international break while the investigation continued.
Swiss Football Association president Peter Knabel
subsequently confirmed that Xhaka would miss matches against North Macedonia,
Scotland and Slovenia. Switzerland won all four of those matches.
The incident dates back to 2022, when Xhaka was playing for
Arsenal, and COVID-related restrictions remained in place across many
countries.
Xhaka left Arsenal in 2023 to join Bayer Leverkusen, where
he won the Bundesliga and German Cup, before returning to England with
Sunderland in 2025.
The midfielder is now captain of Sunderland and has started
all five of their Premier League matches this season.
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