Sunderland and Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has been provisionally fined 150,000 Swiss francs (£136,000) for obtaining a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate, he said.
The 34-year-old, who allegedly obtained the certificate in 2022 to travel abroad in Switzerland, said the fine was suspended for two years on the condition he does not commit any further offenses and has already paid court costs.
The midfielder wrote on Instagram in German: “A few weeks ago I spoke here in person and said that I will take responsibility for my decision. I stand by it.”
“I received a suspended fine of 50 daily CHF 3,000 for obtaining a false certificate. [£2,726] each one.
“I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions. Thank you for the many messages of support over the past few weeks. They mean a lot to me.”
Xhaka, who has been playing for Arsenal since 2022, released a statement on social media on September 21 saying he had “disbelief” about the vaccine and was “affected by anxiety and uncertainty”.
He is Switzerland’s record cap holder with 152 caps and left his country’s camp for Nations League matches against Scotland, North Macedonia and Slovenia during the just-concluded international break after his initial declaration.
The Swiss Health Authority confirmed that while there was never a general legal requirement to obtain or hold such a certificate, it was necessary for access to various activities, venues and trips, meaning participation was restricted for anyone without a certificate.
In Switzerland, these measures were in force until the spring of 2022. Thereafter, Covid-19 certificates continued to be issued, primarily for members of the public to meet entry requirements when traveling abroad.
Xhaka captained Switzerland at the World Cup earlier this year, where they lost to eventual runners-up Argentina in the quarter-finals.
He is expected to return when Sunderland host Brighton on Saturday (3pm BST).
Black Cats boss Regis le Bris said: “There is no comment on foreign matters [from] What I saw during the international break is that he trained really well. It is positive. He’s in a good place football-wise and that’s the most important thing for me.”