Sunderland and Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka has been handed a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs - about 50 daily rates of 3,000 francs each, with a two-year probationary period - after admitting to forging a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The 34-year-old was still an Arsenal player when the offence took place in 2022, and he came clean about the incident in September, a decision that saw him withdrawn from the Swiss national team's latest fixtures while authorities in Lucerne launched a formal probe.
Xhaka took to social media to confirm the public prosecutor's decision, saying he accepted responsibility. "A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that," he said, per The Athletic. "I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions. Thank you for the many messages of support over the past few weeks. They mean a lot to me."
The midfielder said he had been navigating a deep mistrust and serious reservations surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine at the time, and in a state of emotional turmoil opted to forge the certificate rather than seek answers through proper channels. The admission marked a remarkable fall for a player who captained Arsenal and later won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen before his move to Sunderland.
The case drew widespread attention because it involved the falsification of an official document, a criminal offence under Swiss law, rather than a mere sporting violation. The Swiss prosecutor's office opted for a suspended sentence by summary judgement, meaning Xhaka will avoid further punishment provided he commits no further offences during the probation period.
The episode also raised questions about the pressures elite athletes faced during the pandemic, when vaccination status determined access to travel, matches and training grounds. Xhaka's decision to forge rather than disclose his unvaccinated status reflected a wider tension in football, where several high-profile players clashed with club and league policies. His public acceptance of the punishment has been seen as an attempt to draw a line under the affair, but the conviction will remain a stain on the reputation of one of the Premier League's most recognisable midfielders of the past decade.
Xhaka's admission comes in the first season of his Sunderland career, where the 34-year-old has been tasked with bringing experience to a young squad. The Swiss international, capped more than 130 times for his country, remains one of the most prominent figures in the club's dressing room. While the suspended fine allows him to continue playing, the conviction will follow him in coverage of the rest of his career - a reminder of how the pandemic era forced difficult personal choices on public figures whose decisions were never truly private.