1 hour ago
9
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has been axed from the Switzerland squad after admitting to receiving a fake certificate to show he had been vaccinated against Covid-19 in 2022.
Swiss authorities are probing the offence, which carries the potential for a large fine or imprisonment of up to five years. Xhaka, 33, was playing for Arsenal at the time of the offence.
Xhaka had previously tested positive for Covid in September 2022 and was forced to miss that month's matches with Switzerland.
The midfielder released a statement on Instagram this morning which read: 'In recent days, there has been much reporting about a matter from my past. I would like to address this personally.
'Regarding the Covid-19 vaccination, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns at the time. I felt deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty.
Granit Xhaka will not play for Switzerland after admitting to purchasing a fake certificate
'In this turbulent emotional state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the proper channels. Today, I clearly see that this was the wrong course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry.
'I take responsibility for this decision, am committed to investigating the matter, and am fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.'
More to follow
