GRANIT XHAKA ADMITS FAKING COVID VACCINE CERTIFICATE

Granit Xhaka, the Sunderland captain, has admitted using a fraudulent certificate to falsely show he had been vaccinated against Covid-19, according to reports. The admission concerns conduct reportedly dating from 2022, when Xhaka was playing for Arsenal. Switzerland have left Xhaka out of their national squad following the confession, reports say. Xhaka could face a jail term of up to five years as a result of the case, according to the reports.

Xhaka has since moved on from Arsenal to Sunderland, where he was appointed club captain. The fraudulent certificate was intended to show that Xhaka had received a Covid-19 vaccination, reports say. Reports have not detailed how Xhaka obtained the certificate or how the case came to light. His admission directly triggered his exclusion from the Switzerland squad, according to reports.

The case leaves Xhaka's international future with Switzerland uncertain, following his removal from the squad, according to reports. It also raises the prospect of legal consequences for the Sunderland captain, given the reported maximum jail term of five years. Reports have not given a date for any court proceedings linked to the case. Xhaka continues to captain Sunderland, according to reports, with the case centred on his conduct while at Arsenal and with the Switzerland national team.