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Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka handed over a suspended fine over a forged COVID-19 certificate
Granit Xhaka has been handed a hefty suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs after he admitted to obtaining a forged COVID-19 vaccination certificate in 2022, bringing a legal controversy involving the Sunderland and Swiss captain.
The 34-year-old accepted the punishment, stating that he accepts the decision and takes full responsibility for his faulty actions.
The fine consists of 50 daily penalties of 3,000 Swiss francs each but will not be enforced unless he commits no further offences during a two-year probationary period.
Xhaka has already paid the associated court costs as reported by our sources. The incident took place in 2022, when Xhaka was playing for Arsenal.
The midfielder previously admitted to obtaining the forged certificate amid serious concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccination. In a public statement last month, he described his decision as a mistake and apologised, stating that he was cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.
The case was investigated by lawyers in Lucerne, Switzerland, as authorities examined the circumstances surrounding the fraudulent document.
Xhaka subsequently provided a statement before the decision was announced.
The Swiss skipper was also left out of the national team squad for the UEFA Nations League because of this controversy.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his fraudulent COVID-19 certificate, Xhaka remains an important figure for Sunderland, whom he leads following his move to the club last year.
The ruling from the court closed a significant hurdle in the legal proceedings surrounding the certificate, although questions remain over the midfielder's future with the Swiss national team.
There are chances that he might face a ban from the national team as well, but the Swiss football federation has stated that they would assess this situation and come to a conclusion.
For Xhaka, accepting the punishment is more of a public commitment and accountability for his actions. Whether the controversy has consequences for his international career will become clearer when Switzerland's football federation reviews the situation in the coming months.
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