Ex-Arsenal midfielder admits fake Covid certificate during Gunners spell

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Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has admitted that he obtained a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate during the pandemic, a period that covered his time in north London.

The 33-year-old, now at Sunderland, has been removed from the Switzerland squad for the current international break while an investigation into the matter continues.

Xhaka addressed the allegations personally in a statement posted on social media on Monday morning.

"In recent days, there has been much reporting about a matter from my past. I would like to address this personally," he wrote.

"Regarding the Covid-19 vaccination, I was personally very uncertain and had serious concerns at the time. I felt deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty.

"In this turbulent emotional state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the proper channels. Today, I clearly see that this was the wrong course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry.

"I take responsibility for this decision, am committed to investigating the matter, and am fully cooperating with the relevant authorities."

The investigation

The Lucerne public prosecutor's office has opened an inquiry to establish whether Xhaka actually received the vaccine or simply secured the certificate without doing so.

The case has its roots in a 2023 investigation into a doctor in Lucerne, who was accused of issuing Covid certificates to patients who had not been vaccinated. Cornel Borbély, the solicitor representing the doctor, has maintained that they "vaccinated Xhaka".

A spokesperson for the Lucerne Cantonal Prosecutor's Office said: "The aim is to clarify whether there has been conduct relevant under criminal law in connection with the possible fraudulent obtaining of a false certification and/or document forgery."

According to football.london, Swiss authorities will question Xhaka during the international break before deciding whether to launch criminal proceedings. Sunderland were approached for comment but declined.

His Arsenal years

Xhaka tested positive for Covid-19 in 2022 while at Arsenal and missed roughly a month of fixtures as a result.

The Switzerland international spent seven seasons at the Emirates after arriving from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2016, racking up close to 300 appearances and captaining the side under Unai Emery before an eventual reconciliation with the fanbase under Mikel Arteta.

His final campaign in north London, 2022/23, was arguably his best in an Arsenal shirt as he was redeployed in a more advanced left-sided role during the title challenge, before he departed for Bayer Leverkusen that summer. He went on to win the Bundesliga under Xabi Alonso and returned to English football with Sunderland.

Xhaka remains one of the more polarising figures of the modern Arsenal era, a player whose relationship with supporters swung from open hostility to genuine affection inside the space of four years.

The Swiss authorities are expected to conclude their questioning during the international window, with a decision on whether to press charges to follow.