Granit Xhaka handed £136,265 suspended fine for using fake COVID-19 certificate

Granit Xhaka has been handed a suspended fine of £136,265 after admitting to forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate during his time as an Arsenal player.

The Switzerland international was sentenced to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of 3,000 Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately £2,725 per day.

However, Xhaka will not be required to pay the fine provided he commits no further offenses during a two-year probationary period.

The 34-year-old revealed the outcome of the investigation after previously admitting that he had forged the vaccination certificate in 2022.

In a statement posted on social media, Xhaka accepted responsibility for his actions and confirmed that he had provided a full statement to prosecutors.

“A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that.

“After I gave a full statement to the public prosecutor’s office, the public prosecutor’s decision has now been issued.

“I was sentenced by summary judgment for obtaining a false certification to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of CHF 3,000 each, with a probationary period of two years.

“This means the sentence will not be carried out if I do not commit any offenses during this period. I have already paid the court costs.

“I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions.”

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 finalized.

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 midfielder said he was “very unsettled” at the time and made the decision in a “state of emotional turmoil," rather than seeking answers to his concerns through the appropriate channels.

The revelation resulted in Xhaka being left out of Switzerland’s squad for the following international break while the investigation continued.

Swiss Football Association president Peter Knabel subsequently confirmed that Xhaka would miss matches against North Macedonia, Scotland, and Slovenia.

Switzerland went on to win all four of the matches during that period.

The incident dates back to 2022, when Xhaka was still playing for Arsenal and Covid-related restrictions remained in force in several countries.

During that period, travel and entry requirements varied significantly, with some countries and institutions requiring proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test.

Xhaka later left Arsenal in 2023 to join Bayer Leverkusen, where he enjoyed a highly successful spell.

He helped the German club win the Bundesliga and German Cup before returning to England with Sunderland in 2025.

Xhaka is now captain of Sunderland and has started all five of the club's Premier League matches this season.

Despite the off-field controversy surrounding his previous actions, the midfielder remains an important figure for both club and country.

He is also Switzerland's most capped men's international of all time, underlining his status as one of the country's most prominent footballers.