Granit Xhaka has admitted forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate and apologised for what he now calls a "mistake" made while he was in a state of "emotional turmoil".The Sunderland midfielder and Switzerland captain is facing proceedings in his homeland over the incident, which reportedly dates back to 2022, when he was still playing for Arsenal.According to Swiss outlet Blick, the Lucerne public prosecutor's office has opened proceedings against Xhaka, with the 33-year-old expected to be questioned in early October.##TWITTER_<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has withdrawn from the Switzerland squad after facing scrutiny for allegedly using fake documents during the COVID-19 pandemic. <a href="https://t.co/nGzPd9OPvQ">pic.twitter.com/nGzPd9OPvQ</a></p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://x.com/SkySportsNews/status/2101992035372683422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>##The scandal has already had immediate consequences for the Switzerland captain.Xhaka has been left out of the squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against North Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia after the Swiss Football Association (SFV) and the player jointly decided that his absence was in the team's best interests.Saturday, Sep 26: 21.45: (7.75) North Macedonia (4.40) Switzerland (1.38)He addressed the controversy himself on Monday, admitting that he obtained the vaccination certificate instead of dealing with his doubts about the Covid vaccine through the proper channels."At the time, I was personally very unsettled and had serious reservations about the Covid-19 vaccination," Xhaka wrote on Instagram."I felt a deep mistrust of the vaccine and was overcome by fears and uncertainty. In this state of emotional turmoil, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of seeking answers to my unresolved questions through the proper channels. Today, I can clearly see that this was not the right course of action. It was a mistake. I am sorry. I take full responsibility for this decision, am prepared to address the matter fully and will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities."##EDITORS_CHOICE##The SFV confirmed that Xhaka informed the federation about the matter before deciding to stay away from the current international camp."Granit Xhaka informed us about the situation last night and told us that he will address it publicly and take responsibility," SFV president Peter Knabel said.