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SportsQuiet 2d · day 5

Xhaka admits buying fake Covid vaccination certificate, skips Swiss squad

Switzerland's captain confirms he never had the shot after Lucerne prosecutors opened a criminal probe into forged certificates.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 3d ago67 pieces176 likes & upvotes13 comments NewswiresRedditMastodonXGoogle News

What to know

  • Xhaka, Switzerland's most-capped player and captain, admitted buying a Covid vaccination certificate in 2022 without being vaccinated.
  • The admission followed confirmation by Lucerne police of a criminal investigation into Xhaka and the doctor who allegedly issued the fake certificate.
  • Xhaka and the Swiss federation jointly agreed he will skip the current Nations League window (four matches) while the case is addressed.
  • Lucerne prosecutors have opened formal proceedings against Xhaka and the doctor; a conviction could carry criminal penalties.

The dispute Commenters disagree on whether the underlying anger should target vaccine mandates/science skepticism or Xhaka's personal conduct. · positions read across 14 posts and comments

most voices

Vaccines were scientifically proven to reduce deaths and hospitalizations, and people should trust experts over athletes' opinions.

  • “It is a fact that covid vaccinations reduced deaths and hospilations. We've seen the data across the world now after 5 years between different data groups.”

    NijjioN · reddit ↗
some voices

Vaccine mandates were unjustified given the mildness of the disease for most people.

  • “Why should people be forced to get vaccinated for minor flu? That miraculously got cured and forgotten by war in Ukraine?”

    DulePavoc · reddit ↗
some voices

Personal mockery of Xhaka's character rather than the substance of the case.

  • “Always felt this guy was a dickhead until he left Arsenal, until now again back to being a dickhead.”

    acejay1 · reddit ↗

Granit Xhaka Switzerland captain, Sunderland midfielderPeter Knäbel Swiss Football Federation (SFV) PresidentAndreas Bantel Xhaka's spokesmanSimon Kopp Lucerne prosecution office spokesmanPatrick Fischer Former Swiss national team coach

Xhaka admits buying fake Covid vaccination certificate, skips Swiss squad
Yahoo Sports

How it unfolded 4 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments

Peak 24 pieces in two hours at Sep 21, 6 AM; 67 pieces over 5 days (45 articles · 11 posts · 11 comments) Sep 19, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Reddit 1, Newswires 1Sep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 12 PM — quietSep 19, 2 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 6 PM — quietSep 19, 8 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 12 AM — quietSep 20, 2 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 6 AM — quietSep 20, 8 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 12 PM — quietSep 20, 2 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 6 PM — quietSep 20, 8 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 12 AM — quietSep 21, 2 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — 13 pieces · 5 articles · 1 post · 7 comments — Reddit 8, Newswires 5Sep 21, 6 AM — 24 pieces · 20 articles · 4 posts — Newswires 13, Google News 7, Mastodon 4Sep 21, 8 AM — 6 pieces · 3 articles · 1 post · 2 comments — Newswires 3, Reddit 2, Mastodon 1Sep 21, 10 AM — 14 pieces · 12 articles · 1 post · 1 comment — Newswires 12, Mastodon 1, Reddit 1Sep 21, 12 PM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, X 1Sep 21, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Sep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Mastodon 1Sep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Newswires 1, X 1Sep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 8 AM — quiet 12–4
Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22yesterdaynow · 10:46 AM ET
  1. 4

    Federation says Xhaka will miss four Nations League games

    Coverage confirmed Xhaka, Switzerland's most-capped player with 152 appearances, will be absent for four Nations League fixtures while the case is clarified, with Knäbel saying the federation welcomed him taking responsibility.

    “Granit Xhaka has admitted what has been suspected for a while already. He purchased a fake # COVID # vaccination certificate.”
    — antiaall3s@chaos.social, Mastodon user · source
    1. 1 outlet Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admits error in fake vaccination case, skips Nations League games

      first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago

    • How the hell has this become an issue…again. Grant Xhaka the excellent Swiss footballer who plays for Sunderland is apparently in the shit for admitting that he obtained a false Covid vaccination certificate to allow him to continue playing. Switzerland have dropped him and

      @JohnHann04X2d ago103▲view on X ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 14 posts in this stretch

    • If you check recently there been various other studies that found a reduction. But reduction in transmission isn't even the main point taking the vaccine its a reduction in hospitalisation and deaths. It is a fact that covid vaccinations reduced deaths and hospilations. We've seen the data across the world now after 5 years between different data…

      NijjioNr/soccer3d agoview on r/soccer ↗

    • Granit Xhaka has admitted what has been suspected for a while already. He purchased a fake # COVID # vaccination certificate. https:// sports.yahoo.com/articles/xhak a-says-obtained-vaccination-papers-101830676.html

      antiaall3s@chaos.socialMastodon3d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 3

    Lucerne prosecutors formally open proceedings against Xhaka and doctor

    The Lucerne public prosecutor's office opened proceedings against the Sunderland midfielder and a Lucerne doctor; a conviction could bring criminal penalties.

  3. background

    Swiss federation announces Xhaka will skip national team camp — The SFV said Xhaka informed the association on Sunday evening and that, following discussion between him and the leadership, it was agreed he would not join the training camp in Belek, Turkey, or play in the upcoming Nations League matches against North Macedonia and Scotland.

  4. 2

    Xhaka admits on Instagram he bought a fake vaccination certificate

    Xhaka posted a statement acknowledging he obtained a Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022 without being vaccinated, citing personal fear and distrust of the vaccine, and apologized, saying he takes full responsibility and will cooperate with authorities.

    “It was a mistake. I'm sorry.”
    — Granit Xhaka
    1. 1 outlet Xhaka says he obtained vaccination papers without taking Covid shot

      first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago

    2. 1 outlet 🚨 Fake Covid pass: Granit Xhaka admits it, skips the break!

      first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago

  5. 1 day quiet
  6. 1

    Lucerne police confirm criminal probe into Xhaka's Covid certificate

    Police in Lucerne confirmed to dpa that Xhaka is under investigation on suspicion of obtaining a fake coronavirus vaccination certificate from his doctor without being vaccinated; the doctor is also being investigated.

    “is fully and unreservedly available to the authorities and is cooperating with complete transparency.”
    — Andreas Bantel, Xhaka's spokesman
    1. 9 outlets Switzerland to play without Xhaka over fake Covid certificate

      first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago · also Channel News Asia, ESPN, BBC, Al Jazeera, BBC Football, BBC Sport +2

      10 more headlines
    2. 1 outlet Swiss captain Xhaka probed over alleged fake Covid certificates

      first by Yahoo Sports, 5d ago

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 5 outlets Sunderland star and former Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka admits obtaining fake Covid vaccination certificate

    first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago · also The Mirror, The Guardian Football, Guardian Sport, The Telegraph

    3 more headlines
  2. 3 outlets Granit Xhaka out of Switzerland squad after admitting to faking Covid vaccination

    first by Yahoo Sports, 3d ago · also TNT Sports, BBC Football

    2 more headlines

and 3 smaller pieces

What people are saying 11 voices from 2 sites · best of 14 · verbatim