Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has been handed a suspended fine of £136,265 after admitting to forging a Covid-19 vaccination certificate.The 34-year-old Premier League star said the penalty consists of 50 daily rates of £2,725, however, the sentence “will not be enforced” provided he commits no further offences during a two-year probationary period.Xhaka admitted in September that he had made a “mistake”, following which he was omitted from Switzerland’s squad for the international break. He was also investigated by the Lucerne Public Prosecutor’s Office.In a statement posted on social media today, Xhaka reiterated that he intended to “take responsibility” for his actions, and confirmed the outcome of the prosecutor’s investigation.“A few weeks ago, I spoke personally here and said that I would take responsibility for my decision. I stand by that,” he said. The statement continued: “After I gave a full statement to the public prosecutor’s office, the public prosecutor’s decision has now been issued.“I was sentenced by summary judgment for obtaining a false certification to a suspended fine of 50 daily rates of CHF 3,000 each, with a probationary period of two years. “This means: The sentence will not be carried out if I do not commit any offenses during this period. I have already paid the court costs.Granit Xhaka admitted in September that he had made a ‘mistake’, following which he was omitted from Switzerland’s squad for the international break | REUTERS“I accept the decision and take responsibility for my actions. Thank you for the many messages of support over the past few weeks. They mean a lot to me.”The Lucerne Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Xhaka was issued with a penalty order, although officials said they were unable to provide further information, as the legal proceedings had not yet been concluded.The offence dates back to 2022, when Xhaka was with Arsenal, according to reports in Switzerland. At the time, the midfielder said he had developed “a deep mistrust” and “serious reservations” about Covid-19 vaccination, and admitted he was “very unsettled”.Xhaka subsequently acknowledged that he had handled those concerns in the wrong way. Rather than “seeking answers to my unresolved questions through the proper channels”, he said he had forged a vaccination certificate while in a “state of emotional turmoil”.His admission led to him being omitted from Switzerland’s squad for four matches. SFV president Peter Knabel confirmed that Xhaka would miss two games against North Macedonia, as well as fixtures against Scotland and Slovenia. Switzerland won each of those matches, with the midfielder’s situation set to be reconsidered following the international break.The incident occurred against the backdrop of constantly changing Covid-19 restrictions, with requirements differing significantly between countries. In 2022, some nations continued to demand proof of vaccination or a negative test from travellers, although the UK had removed most of its remaining domestic and travel restrictions by the beginning of that year.Xhaka’s career has since taken him away from Arsenal and back to England, joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2023, before completing a return to the Premier League with Sunderland in 2025.Now Switzerland’s record holder for men’s international appearances, Xhaka has also established himself as a regular starter at Sunderland, featuring from the beginning in all of the club’s first five Premier League games this season.