Granit Xhaka speaks out and leaves Switzerland team after being accused of a five-year prison sentence
Sunderland captain and Switzerland international Granit Xhaka recently spoke out after reports suggested he might face jail time. The 33-year-old midfielder announced he’s stepping back from Switzerland’s upcoming Nations League games while an investigation is ongoing.
Xhaka admitted that he got a Covid-19 vaccination certificate even though he wasn’t vaccinated and apologized, calling it a “mistake.” According to Swiss news outlet Blick, the Lucerne public prosecutor is looking into the matter.
After Sunderland’s 5-3 loss to Manchester City on Sunday, Xhaka stayed quiet about the situation. Then on Monday, he shared this message:
“In the past few days, a lot has been said about something from my past, and I want to speak about it myself.
Back then, I was really unsure and worried about the Covid-19 vaccine. I was scared and had many doubts.
In that emotional state, instead of asking the right questions, I got a vaccination certificate without being vaccinated.
Now I realize that wasn’t the right thing to do. It was a mistake, and I’m sorry.
I accept responsibility, will cooperate fully, and let the authorities clarify the facts.”
Xhaka was with Arsenal during the pandemic before moving to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023, where he had great success, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup, and reaching the Europa League final under coach Xabi Alonso.
The Sunderland star is expected to meet with the public prosecutor next month. While Swiss law says the offense could lead to up to five years in prison, experts say jail time is very unlikely in this case.
Peter Knäbel, president of the Swiss Football Association, said the decision for Xhaka to leave the squad for the games against North Macedonia, Scotland, and Slovenia was made together.
“Granit told us about the situation last night and said he wants to take responsibility and speak openly.
We support him for being honest and facing this. We also agreed it’s best for the team if he skips this training camp. Our focus now is to calm things down and concentrate on the team and upcoming matches.”
He added, “After this international window, we will review the situation with Granit and decide what comes next.”