Xhaka keeps Switzerland captaincy as fake Covid certificate investigation concludes

Granit Xhaka will retain the Switzerland captaincy and return to the national squad in November after the Swiss Football Association (SFV) closed its investigation into the acquisition of counterfeit Covid-19 vaccination certificates by the Sunderland midfielder and Bayer Leverkusen forward Breel Embolo.

The SFV confirmed that both players had been cleared to rejoin the squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, having already served a de facto suspension by missing four international matches in September and October. Each player was handed a suspended fine of 150,000 Swiss francs ($181,225), subject to a two-year probationary period.

Xhaka had publicly admitted last month to obtaining a fake certificate in 2022, citing deep personal uncertainty about the Covid-19 vaccine at the time. “I felt deep distrust of the vaccine and was plagued by fear and uncertainty,” he wrote on social media. “In this turbulent emotional state, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my open questions through the proper channels. Today I clearly see this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry.”

The SFV’s central board said it had weighed the specific circumstances of both cases alongside the legal proceedings and the sporting consequences already imposed before reaching its decision. “The Swiss Football Association has thoroughly examined both cases and concluded that the players’ return is justifiable after the conclusion of the legal proceedings,” the association stated.

National team director Pierluigi Tami echoed that assessment. “The specific circumstances of both cases, the concluded legal proceedings, and the sporting consequences already implemented all factored into the decision,” he said. “We are convinced that a return to the national team in November is responsible and the right thing to do.”

The SFV also used the statement to underline the standards expected of its international players, emphasising “the special responsibility that applies to members of the national teams.” Xhaka’s retention of the captaincy signals that the association considers the matter closed, provided both players fulfil the terms of their suspended sanctions over the next two years.