Sunderland captain, Granit Xhaka, could face a jail sentence after he was axed from the Switzerland squad for admitting he received a forged COVID vaccine certificate while playing for Arsenal.
The 33-year-old took to Instagram to confirm that he obtained a vaccination certificate despite not actually receiving the vaccine.
“Over the past few days, there has been a lot of reporting about an issue from my past. I would like to address it personally,” Xhaka wrote in the statement, adding:
“At the time, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. I had deep mistrust of the vaccine and was affected by fear and uncertainty.
“In this emotionally charged state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of addressing my outstanding questions through the proper channels.
“Today, I can clearly see that this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry.
“I take responsibility for this decision, will cooperate fully in the investigation of the matter and am cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.”
Following the statement, the Swiss Football Association confirmed that Xhaka will not take part in Switzerland’s upcoming games.
“We welcome the fact that Granit is taking this step and addressing the issue. At the same time, we have jointly concluded that it’s in the team’s best interest to go through this training camp without him. For us, the priority now is to restore calm and focus entirely on the team and the upcoming matches in the UEFA Nations League.”
Xhaka contracted the coronavirus in 2021 and early 2022, the Blick newspaper said.
Following the player’s confession, the Swiss Football Federation said in a statement that Xhaka won’t participate in the upcoming men’s national team training camp