BERLIN, Sept 21 — Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka admitted that he obtained coronavirus vaccination certificates without actually being vaccinated, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

“At the time, I was personally very uncertain about the Covid-19 vaccine and had serious reservations,” he wrote on Instagram on Monday.

He said he felt “a deep distrust” and was “overcome by fears and uncertainty”.

“In this state of emotional turmoil, I obtained a vaccination certificate instead of clarifying my unanswered questions through the proper channels,” Xhaka wrote.

Last week, police in the city of Lucerne confirmed that the Sunderland player is under criminal investigation on suspicion of obtaining fake coronavirus vaccination certificates.

According to media reports, he obtained the certificates from his doctor, who is also under investigation for allegedly providing the fake documents.

“Today, I clearly see that this was not the right path to take. It was a mistake. I’m sorry. I take responsibility for this decision, am committed to addressing the facts of the matter, and will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities,” Xhaka said.

Xhaka contracted coronavirus in 2021 and early 2022, the Blick newspaper said.

Following the player’s confession, the Swiss Football Federation said in a statement that Xhaka will not participate in the upcoming men’s national team training camp. — Bernama-dpa