Sunderland and Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has revealed he has been handed a suspended fine and a two-year probation period after admitting to forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate. The 34-year-old confirmed the verdict from the Lucerne Public Prosecutor's Office in a statement posted on social media on Thursday, closing a case that dates back to his time at Arsenal.
What the Lucerne verdict actually means
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has been handed a suspended fine of £136,265 after admitting to forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate while he was an Arsenal player. The Switzerland international was sentenced to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of 3,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to around £2,725 per day.
Crucially, this is not a ban from football. The 34-year-old will not have to pay the fine provided he commits no further offences during a two-year probationary period. Lucerne's Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that a penalty order had been issued but said it could not comment further because the proceedings had not yet been finalised.
In his own statement, Xhaka was direct about accepting the outcome. "I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions," he wrote, having also confirmed he had already settled the associated legal costs.
Why Xhaka obtained the fake certificate
Xhaka admitted in September that he had forged the vaccination certificate while experiencing what he described as a "deep mistrust" and "serious reservations" about the Covid-19 vaccination. The document was obtained in 2022, during the pandemic-era requirements that affected travel and participation in football across Europe.
Investigators have also used his cooperation to look further into the source of the forged paperwork. The player confirmed that he had provided a comprehensive statement to the investigators, assisting them in their broader inquiry into a local medical professional suspected of facilitating the distribution of these false documents across the region.
No club punishment, but Swiss talks loom
Sunderland's position
At club level, there is no suggestion of any sanction. Sunderland have made clear that the offence occurred long before Xhaka joined the Premier League outfit; Sunderland have kept their distance, noting the events predated his arrival at the Stadium of Light, having joined in 2025 after Bayer Leverkusen, with the document obtained in 2022 when he was at Arsenal.
Switzerland's next steps
The international dimension is more delicate. Switzerland and Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka said on Thursday he was put on two years' probation after he admitted obtaining a fake vaccination certificate during the COVID-19 pandemic. He had already paid a sporting price before the verdict: Xhaka withdrew from the squad for four Nations League games in the past two weeks which Switzerland won.
The timing is notable given his status in the national set-up. Granit Xhaka has played a men's record 152 games for Switzerland. According to reports in Switzerland, the federation is now expected to discuss his future involvement with the senior squad following the ruling.
What it means for the rest of Xhaka's season
With no football ban attached, Xhaka remains available to lead Sunderland as they try to steady a difficult start to the Premier League campaign. The club head into the weekend 14th in the table, with their most recent league outing a heavy defeat at Manchester City. Sunderland currently sits in 14th place in the Premier League with 4 points from 5 matches (1W 1D 3L).
Xhaka's experience remains central to Régis Le Bris's plans, with the armband seen as key to the Black Cats' survival push after promotion back to the top flight. The timing of this resolution means the saga no longer hangs over him heading into the coming weeks of fixtures, allowing attention to turn back to performances on the pitch rather than the courtroom.