Sunderland and Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka don tok say dem give am suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs, around £136,000, for obtaining forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate. The 34-year-old, wey dem allege say he obtain the certificate in 2022 when Switzerland require am for some travel abroad, tok say the fine suspended for two years as long as he no commit any further offences, and say he don already pay court costs.
For Instagram post wey he write for German, Xhaka tok say: ‘A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that.’ He add say: ‘I was sentenced by summary judgment for obtaining a false certification to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of CHF 3,000 [£2,726] each.’ Then he tok: ‘I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions. Thank you for the many messages of support over the past few weeks. They mean a lot to me.’
Xhaka bin dey play for Arsenal in 2022 and he post statement on social media on 21 September saying he get ‘mistrust’ towards the vaccine and say ‘worries and uncertainty’ influence am. He be Switzerland record appearance holder with 152 caps and, after him initial statement, he withdraw from him country camp for their Nations League matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia for the international break wey just conclude.
Swiss office of public health don confirm say, although there never be general legal requirement to obtain or hold such certificate, dem need am for access to various activities, venues and travel, meaning say participation restricted for anybody wey no possess one. These measures for Switzerland bin dey in place until spring of 2022. After that point, Covid-19 certificates continue to dey issued, mainly to enable members of public meet entry requirements when travelling abroad.
Xhaka captain Switzerland for World Cup earlier this year, where Argentina knock them out for quarter-finals; Argentina later finish as runners-up. Dem expect am to return to action when Sunderland host Brighton on Saturday (15:00 BST). Black Cats boss Regis le Bris tok say: ‘No comment on external topics but [from] what I’ve seen during the international break, he has trained really well. It’s positive. He’s in a good place football-wise and for me that is the most important.’
Xhaka tok on Thursday say dem put am on two years’ probation after he admit say he obtain fake vaccination certificate during the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘I accept the decision and take responsibility,’ the 34-year-old Xhaka write for Instagram post wey explain details of case wey Swiss media reports reveal last month. The conviction also include suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs ($180,000), he write, and he add say he pay court costs.
Last month, e emerge say Xhaka and Breel Embolo also use false vaccination certificate. Switzerland then drop both from squad for most recent international break. Xhaka, wey don play men’s record 152 games for Switzerland, withdraw from squad for four Nations League games for past two weeks. For that time he give statement to public prosecutors for Lucerne wey dey investigate a doctor for the canton (state). Switzerland win all four games for their second-tier Nations League group without Xhaka.
Public Prosecutor’s Office in Lucerne convict Xhaka for using false Covid certificate, and Switzerland captain receive suspended fine. Xhaka tok say he ‘deeply distrusted the vaccine’ and he dey deal with ‘fear and uncertainty’. The court give Xhaka suspended sentence of 3,000 francs (€3,217) per day for 50 days. That amount to total of 150,000 francs, around €160,000, with probation period of two years.
