---
title: "Switzerland Captain Avoids Prison: How the High-Profile COVID Certificate Scandal Concluded"
description: "Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has avoided prison time in the forged COVID certificate case, receiving a suspended fine of 150,000 francs."
date: 2026-10-09T10:32:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/switzerland-captain-avoids-prison-covid-certificate
tags: [granit-xhaka, switzerland, sunderland, football, covid-certificate]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Switzerland Captain Avoids Prison: How the High-Profile COVID Certificate Scandal Concluded

![Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka on the pitch](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/09/kapitan-sbornoy-shveytsarii-izbezhal-tyurmy-covid-sertifikat/kapitan-sbornoy-shveytsarii-izbezhal-tyurmy-covid-sertifikat-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Granit Xhaka received a suspended fine of 150,000 francs for a fake COVID certificate.
- The footballer avoided actual imprisonment and fully confessed his guilt.
- The scandal previously forced the player to temporarily leave the national team squad.

Sunderland midfielder and Switzerland national team captain Granit Xhaka has learned the final and long-awaited decision of the prosecutor's office in the high-profile case involving the falsification of an official medical document. The famous footballer, who faced potential prison time in the worst-case scenario, managed to avoid severe punishment thanks to a lenient verdict by the Swiss law enforcement agencies.

### Details of the Court Verdict

According to the ruling, the player was sentenced to a suspended financial fine of 150,000 Swiss francs. This penalty entails 50 daily rates of 3,000 francs each, subject to a two-year probation period. This means the large sum will not have to be paid provided the athlete refrains from committing any new offenses during the specified period. Furthermore, Xhaka has already fully covered all associated legal costs independently.

### Admission of Guilt and Footballer's Reaction

The midfielder published the official details of his punishment on his personal Instagram page. The experienced playmaker openly stated that he fully accepts the court's decision and takes full responsibility for his previous actions. Xhaka also expressed sincere gratitude to fans and loved ones for numerous messages of support that helped him cope with intense psychological pressure over the recent weeks of the investigation.

### Background of the Scandal and Career Consequences

To recap, the roots of this scandal date back to 2022, when the controversy surrounding a forged COVID-19 vaccination certificate first emerged. Only in September of this year did the footballer publicly admit that he had indeed used a fake document, explaining his actions by initial fear, intense uncertainty, and deep distrust of medical products at that time. This investigation has already tangibly affected his sports career: to resolve legal matters, he was forced to temporarily leave the Switzerland national team camp and miss crucial UEFA Nations League matches.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Капитан сборной Швейцарии избежал тюрьмы: чем завершился скандал с COVID-сертификатом](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/kapitan-zbirnoyi-shveytsariyi-uniknuv-v-yaznitsi-1791541652.html) - Основной источник информации о приговоре и заявлении Гранита Джаки.
- [Джака наказан за поддельный сертификат о вакцинации от COVID-19](https://sportmail.ru/article/football-foreign/72653333/) - Подтверждение деталей условного штрафа в 150 тысяч франков.
- [«Беру на себя ответственность». Капитан сборной Швейцарии получил наказание за поддельный COVID ...](https://sport.nv.ua/football/granit-dzhaka-poluchil-nakazanie-za-poddelnyy-covid-sertifikat-50648405.html) - Цитаты игрока и детали расследования.
- [Бывший капитан "Арсенала" получил наказание за использование поддельного COVID-сертификата](https://tsn.ua/ru/prosport/byvshiy-kapitan-arsenala-poluchil-nakazanie-za-ispolzovanie-poddelnogo-covid-sertifikata-3185291.html) - Дополнительный контекст о предыдущих клубах игрока и деталях дела.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: What punishment was given to Granit Xhaka?
**A:** The footballer received a suspended monetary fine of 150,000 Swiss francs with a two-year probation period.

### Q: Why did the investigation against the footballer begin?
**A:** The investigation was related to the use of a forged coronavirus vaccination certificate back in 2022.