'Shock' World Cup captain stripped of captaincy, admits to forging COVID-19 vaccination certificate: "I sincerely apologize... the controversy is true"

*This content was translated by AI.

This marks an unprecedented case of vaccine record tampering. Granit Xhaka, captain of Sunderland in England's Premier League and captain of the Swiss national football team, has admitted to obtaining a forged COVID-19 vaccination certificate in the past and issued a formal apology.

The British media outlet 'The Guardian' reported on the 22nd (Korean time) that "Xhaka admitted to obtaining a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate while he was with Arsenal in 2022," adding that "he will be suspended from the Yeo Pa-ro (CEO) team and will miss four upcoming UEFA Nations League matches. He is now facing an investigation by the Swiss Prosecution Service."

Xhaka released a statement through his personal social networking service (SNS), confessing to his wrongdoing. He said, "Given the recent media reports about past events, I felt it necessary to state my position directly," and added, "At that time, I had serious concerns about vaccines and was consumed by deep distrust and fear."

He continued, "Instead of resolving my doubts through proper procedures amidst confused emotions, I obtained the certificate in an incorrect manner," stating, "Looking back now, it is clear to me that this was not the right course of action. It was my mistake, and I sincerely apologize. I will fully accept responsibility for this decision and will cooperate diligently with the relevant authorities' investigation into the facts."

According to Britain's 'BBC', the Lucerne Canton Prosecution Service in Switzerland is investigating allegations that a doctor in the Lucerne area issued numerous false COVID-19 certificates during the pandemic. Xhaka is also scheduled to appear before the Prosecution Service next week for questioning. Based on local reports, if the charges against Xhaka are upheld, he could face a substantial fine. While a maximum prison sentence of five years is theoretically possible, it is reported that the likelihood of an actual jail term is extremely low.

Until spring 2022, Switzerland required proof of vaccination for entry into multi-use facilities and for international travel. Even after that period, certificates continued to be used to meet entry requirements for foreign arrivals. In fact, in Switzerland, former men's ice hockey Lee Seu-ha-ki (CEO) team coach Patrick Fischer was sentenced to a fine of 38,000 Swiss francs by a court for using a fake certificate to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and after being dismissed from his role as national team coach, he also received a four-year suspension from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

The Swiss Football Association immediately decided to exclude the captain, who holds the record for most appearances (152 matches) in Swiss national team history, following this misconduct. The association conveyed the news of Xhaka's departure from the national team through mutual consultation between the player and the national team coaching staff. It was further added that discussions regarding Xhaka's future within the national team will formally begin after the conclusion of this international A-match period.

As a result, Xhaka will be unable to participate in all four group stage matches of the Nations League, starting with the away trip to North Macedonia on the 26th and continuing against Scotland and Slovenia. Xhaka was a key player who served as captain for Switzerland at this year's 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, leading the team through to the quarterfinals against Argentina.

His current club, Sunderland, has not issued an official statement, citing that the incident occurred during his time at Arsenal. Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris held back from commenting after an interview following last weekend's defeat to Manchester City, stating, "It is not my area to discuss matters outside the stadium. My area is solely football, and in terms of football, Xhaka is an excellent player."

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*This content was translated by AI.