Swiss captain Xhaka, who was given a suspended sentence for allegedly forging COVID-19 vaccine certificates, has issued a public apology.

Granit Xhaka, captain of the Swiss national team and midfielder currently playing for Sunderland in the English Premier League, has confirmed that he has been fined 150,000 Swiss francs (approximately £136,000) by a Swiss court for obtaining a forged COVID-19 vaccination certificate in 2022.

The judgment sets a two-year probationary period, during which execution will be suspended if no further violations occur. Zaka has already paid all litigation costs.

In response to the verdict, Xhaka posted a statement on his personal social media account, accepting the punishment. He wrote, "I said weeks ago that I would take responsibility for my decisions, and I stand by that stance."

"The court issued a summary judgment against me for obtaining false documents, imposing a suspended fine of 50 daily wage units, 3,000 Swiss francs per unit. I accept this decision and take responsibility for my actions. Thank you all for your support over the past few weeks."

In a previous statement, Zaka also discussed his motivations at the time, admitting that he had doubts about the vaccine and was therefore affected by anxiety.

Granit Xhaka, 34, holds the record for most appearances for the Swiss national team (152). He previously withdrew from the recently concluded UEFA Nations League training camp squad due to the investigation into the incident.

With the legal proceedings temporarily concluded, Xhaka is expected to return to action this Saturday for Sunderland's home league match against Brighton. Sunderland manager Regis Lebrs addressed Xhaka's situation in a pre-match interview: "I don't comment on things off the pitch."

"But judging from his performance during the international break, he was very dedicated to training and showed a positive attitude. From a football perspective, his current physical and competitive condition is very good, which is the most important thing to me."

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