Swiss national team captain Granit Xhaka issued an official apology after admitting that he had obtained a vaccination certificate through improper methods, declaring his full cooperation with the competent authorities.
Xhaka, 33 years old and a player for Sunderland, said in a statement on social media: “In that turbulent emotional state, I received a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying the questions I had through the path designated for that. Today I clearly see that this path was not correct. It was a mistake and I am sorry.”
Against the backdrop of this situation, the Swiss Football Association announced the player’s departure from the current national team camp. The federation’s president, Peter Knabel, explained that Xhaka informed him of the situation the previous evening, and assured him of his intention to bear responsibility publicly.
Knabel added: “We welcome this step taken by Granit. At the same time, we have concluded together that it is in the team’s interest to complete this gathering without him,” noting that the focus is currently on maintaining calm in preparation for Switzerland’s upcoming matches in the European Nations League.
The Swiss national team is preparing in the Turkish city of Belek to face North Macedonia and Scotland outside its stadium, before hosting Slovenia and North Macedonia. The Swiss Federation confirmed that it will re-evaluate the player’s situation after the end of the international break.
It is noteworthy that Xhaka is the record holder in the number of international appearances with the Swiss national team, with 152 matches, since his first appearance in the “Nati” shirt in 2011.
