Swiss Probe Targets Xhaka Over Alleged Fake Covid Papers

Swiss national team captain Granit Xhaka now stands under formal criminal inquiry in Lucerne as prosecutors examine claims he obtained forged vaccination documents tied to the 2021 pandemic period. The Swiss probe targets Xhaka over alleged fake Covid papers while the 33-year-old midfielder prepares for questioning and continues club duties at Sunderland.

Prosecutors in the canton of Lucerne opened the case against the longtime Switzerland skipper and a local doctor this month. Simon Kopp from the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office confirmed the probe looks at whether criminal acts occurred linked to possible procurement of a false certification by deception or forgery of documents involving Corona certificates. Presumption of innocence applies fully to everyone involved.

Xhaka tested positive for the coronavirus on 1 September 2021. He sat out a friendly against Greece and another match. At that moment he held neither vaccination status nor recovered status. He later told media he had received the shots.

His spokesman Andreas Bantel now states the player holds written confirmation from the treating physician of a first dose on 25 January 2022 and a second dose in November of the same year.

Bantel adds that Xhaka remains fully available to the authorities and cooperates with complete transparency. He will withhold public comment until after the scheduled hearing.

Police searched the Lucerne clinic of the doctor in question during 2023 and seized materials. Reports indicate several clients obtained certificates there. The doctor also faces parallel proceedings. Her lawyer has stated that his client maintains she administered the vaccinations to Xhaka.

The timing creates immediate pressure. Xhaka faces questioning in early October. Switzerland hosts North Macedonia in a Nations League match in Lucerne on 6 October. The Swiss Football Association has said it currently holds no reliable information and will not comment further.

What Exactly Do Lucerne Prosecutors Examine In The Xhaka Case?

Lucerne prosecutors examine whether Xhaka and the doctor committed acts that meet the legal threshold for false certification or document forgery connected to Covid certificates issued around the claimed vaccination dates.

Hard details include the 1 September 2021 positive test result that forced Xhaka out of two internationals while unvaccinated, the later public statements claiming immunization, the January and November 2022 dates listed on the confirmation documents, the 2023 police search of the clinic that recovered evidence involving multiple clients, and the early October hearing date set for the player himself.

Kopp has stressed the inquiry remains open and the presumption of innocence stands. Bantel has emphasized full cooperation and the existence of the physician confirmation. The Swiss national team continues preparations for the home fixture against North Macedonia without any public stance beyond the association statement of limited knowledge.

Xhaka currently plays his club football for Sunderland in the English Premier League after earlier spells at Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Monchengladbach. He has captained Switzerland through multiple campaigns and remains a central figure in the dressing room.

The fresh scrutiny arrives years after the height of pandemic travel and competition rules that required proof of vaccination or recovery for many events and border crossings. Similar cases have already hit Swiss sport. Former national ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer admitted using a false certificate for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and lost his position earlier this year.

How Has Xhaka Responded To The Forgery Allegations From Switzerland?

Xhaka has responded through his spokesman by confirming possession of the physician letter listing the two 2022 vaccination dates and by pledging unrestricted cooperation with Lucerne authorities ahead of his personal hearing.

Bantel told reporters the player will stay silent in public until that session concludes. The confirmation documents list 25 January 2022 for the first dose. Conflicting reports place the second dose on either 8 November or 11 November 2022. Bantel later described any date discrepancy as an earlier slip made under pressure and corrected the record toward the 8 November listing.

The doctor, through her counsel, continues to assert that the injections occurred. No charges have been filed. No trial date exists. The investigation remains at the evidence-gathering stage, with the clinic materials from 2023 still under review.