Former Arsenal captain and current Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka has been fined £136,265 and handed a two-year suspended sentence for forging a COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
The monetary fine of £136,265 is equivalent to 23,357,551.57 Kenyan Shillings.
The legal sanction was issued by the public prosecutor’s office in Lucerne, Switzerland, according to Sky Sports News. It follows an admission made by the Swiss footballer last month that he had made a mistake regarding the certificate.
Despite the ruling, the financial sanction will not be enforced immediately. The two-year suspension remains conditional on Xhaka committing no further offences duringthe two-year period.“A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my action. I stand by that,” Xhaka said.
Details of the Financial Penalty
The public prosecutor’s office structured the overall fine through a specific daily penalty calculation.
The total sanction consists of 50 daily rates set at £2,725 per day. This calculation brings the overall fine to £136,265.
The prosecutor’s decision confirms that the sentence will remain suspended as long as no additional legal offences occur.
International Omission and Player Statement
The fallout from the investigation also impacted Xhaka’s international career with Switzerland.
Following his admission last month, the midfielder was left out of Switzerland’s international squad.
Xhaka subsequently released an official statement to his followers on his Instagram story. In the post, he explained his position regarding the legal outcome.
“After I gave a full statement to the public prosecutor’s office, the public prosecutor’s decision has now been issued,” Granit Xhaka added.
He maintained that his intention was to cooperate with the public prosecutor’s office and accept responsibility for his actions.
Online Reaction
The news triggered widespread conversation among football supporters across social media platforms.
Xhaka previously served as captain at Arsenal before continuing his career. Social media users noted that the incident dated back to his time with the London club.
“He did this while at Arsenal, and the club supported it,” an online fan reacted to the sanction.
Social media posts also drew comparisons between Xhaka’s single charge and other football disciplinary proceedings. Some supporters referenced broaderPremier League financial investigations.“Granit Xhaka: one charge, suspended for 2 years. Man city: 114 charges. 114×2=228 years,” another x user tweeted.
With the official order now issued by the Lucerne public prosecutor, the legal proceedings regarding the forged COVID-19 vaccine certificate have formally concluded.
