Switzerland captain Xhaka gets suspended 150,000-franc fine over fake COVID certificate
In short
Switzerland football captain Granit Xhaka of Sunderland has received a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs (about 240 million won) for obtaining a false COVID-19 certificate, he said on social media on October 9 (Korean time). He will not have to pay the fine if he commits no further crimes over the next two years. Xhaka said he accepted the ruling and would take responsibility for his actions.
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Granit Xhaka, captain of the Switzerland national football team and a Sunderland player, has received a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs (about 240 million won) for obtaining a false COVID-19 certificate. Xhaka said on social media on October 9 (Korean time) that he had received a summary penalty order on the charge, with the fine set at 50 daily units of 3,000 Swiss francs each. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
The court imposed the suspended fine on the condition that he commits no further crimes over the next two years. If he gets through that period without problems, he will not have to pay the fine, the outlets reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
"I humbly accept the ruling and will take responsibility for my actions," Xhaka wrote. He added that he was grateful for the many messages of support he had received, which he said had given him great strength. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Xhaka was investigated by Swiss prosecutors for obtaining a forged certificate in 2022, when a COVID-19 vaccination certificate was required in Switzerland for foreign travel. As a result, he was left out of Switzerland's squad for the September–October international matches. Korea Economic Daily, citing the BBC among others, reported that Xhaka later admitted buying the fake certificate, saying he had had doubts about COVID-19 vaccines, and that the Swiss Football Association left him out of its UEFA Nations League matches in September and October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Newsis described Xhaka as a midfielder who played for Arsenal in England and Leverkusen in Germany before joining Sunderland in the English Premier League. Korea Economic Daily described him as a Swiss footballer of Albanian descent. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The case had already kept Xhaka, the national team captain, out of Switzerland's September–October international matches. Under the suspended fine, he avoids payment if he commits no further crimes for two years.
Key facts
- Granit Xhaka, captain of the Switzerland national football team and a Sunderland player, received a suspended fine for obtaining a false COVID-19 certificate. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The fine totals 150,000 Swiss francs (about 240 million won): 50 daily units of 3,000 Swiss francs each, imposed by summary penalty order. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Xhaka will not have to pay the fine if he commits no further crimes over the next two years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Xhaka announced the penalty on social media on October 9. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Swiss prosecutors investigated him for obtaining a forged certificate in 2022, when a COVID-19 vaccination certificate was required in Switzerland for foreign travel. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- He was left out of Switzerland's squad for the September–October international matches. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Xhaka received a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs for obtaining a false COVID-19 certificate. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The fine was set at 50 daily units of 3,000 Swiss francs each under a summary penalty order. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The fine will not have to be paid if Xhaka commits no further crimes over the next two years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Xhaka said he accepted the ruling and would take responsibility for his actions, and thanked people for their messages of support. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Xhaka was investigated by Swiss prosecutors over a forged certificate obtained in 2022 and was left out of Switzerland's September–October squad. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Xhaka admitted buying the fake certificate, saying he had doubts about COVID-19 vaccines. Reported only by Korea Economic Daily, citing the BBC and others.
- When the summary penalty order was issued and which court or authority issued it. The documents do not give the date of the order or name the court.
- Whether Xhaka will return to the Switzerland squad. The documents do not say.