Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has been hit with a suspended fine of £136,265 after admitting to obtaining a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022.
The 34-year-old Switzerland international was given a fine of 150,000 Swiss francs, made up of 50 daily penalties of 3,000 Swiss francs each.
The fine will not be enforced provided Xhaka commits no further offence during a two-year probation period. He has already paid the court costs.
Xhaka confirmed the outcome in a statement on instagram , saying he accepts the decision and takes responsibility for his actions.
The case dates back to 2022, when Xhaka was playing for Arsenal. He admitted last month that he had obtained the false certificate, explaining that he had a deep mistrust of Covid-19 vaccines and serious reservations about them at the time.
Xhaka said he had been dealing with uncertainty over the vaccine and later acknowledged that obtaining the certificate was the wrong decision. He has since cooperated fully with prosecutors.
The case also affected his international career.
Following his admission, the Swiss Football Association and Xhaka mutually agreed that he would withdraw from the national team camp while the matter was being addressed.
He subsequently missed four Nations League matches, two against North Macedonia and one each against Scotland and Slovenia. Switzerland won all four games in his absence.
The latest decision brings the legal proceedings against Xhaka to a close, although the Swiss Football Association is expected to discuss his international future with him following the conclusion of the case.
The suspended fine does not constitute a football ban, meaning Xhaka remains eligible to play for Sunderland.
He is expected to return to club action when Sunderland host Brighton on Saturday, with manager Régis Le Bris indicating that Xhaka trained well during the international break.
