Shocking turn! Switzerland captain Xhaka could face up to five years in prison
The scandal surrounding Granit Xhaka has escalated dramatically. What began as an investigation could now theoretically end behind bars for the Switzerland captain.
Details: According to The Touchline, citing RMC Sport, Xhaka could face up to five years in prison over allegations that he obtained a Covid certificate despite not being vaccinated. The Lucerne public prosecutor has opened proceedings against the midfielder and a doctor from Lucerne.
The 33-year-old Sunderland midfielder is suspected of having obtained a fake vaccination certificate during the pandemic. According to Blick, the probe is linked to a Lucerne doctor accused of issuing certificates without actually administering vaccines: police searched her office back in 2023, and investigators are now going through the list of potential recipients, with Xhaka among them. Under Swiss law, document forgery and the fraudulent acquisition of fictitious certificates can carry severe penalties, hence the five-year figure now making headlines. The player firmly denies the allegations: his press secretary insists he will cooperate fully with the authorities, and his doctor maintains she did vaccinate him. Xhaka is expected to give evidence to prosecutors at the beginning of October. For now, neither the footballer nor the doctor is considered guilty. The timing could hardly be worse: Xhaka, who joined Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 and remains captain of Switzerland, is due to lead his national team during the ongoing international break while this cloud hangs over him. A similar scandal previously touched his former teammate Breel Embolo, although that case concerned allegedly falsified test results rather than vaccination certificates.
It's worth noting that Xhaka won the Bundesliga title unbeaten with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, ending Bayern's eleven-year reign, before returning to the Premier League with Sunderland.
Reminder: Prosecutors open case against Xhaka. What is the Sunderland midfielder accused of?
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
