Granit Xhaka turned down COVID-19 vaccine, Swiss FA confirms

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 02 September 2021

A Swiss FA spokesperson confirms that Granit Xhaka is not vaccinated against COVID-19 after the Arsenal man tested positive while on international duty.

The Swiss Football Association has confirmed that Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka turned down the COVID-19 vaccine before it was announced that he had contracted the virus.

Xhaka was confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday evening, with the diagnosis ruling him out of Switzerland's World Cup qualifying 2-1 win over Greece.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach man was reported to have displayed mild symptoms and is isolating during the international break, but it is not mandatory for players to be vaccinated.

Now, Swiss FA chief Adrian Arnold has revealed that Xhaka chose not to take the vaccine, telling Blick: "Granit Xhaka was not vaccinated. He's a player who isn't vaccinated.

"We left this up to each player, it's a personal decision of each player – just like any other person in Switzerland. We have issued a recommendation that everyone vaccinate. But he decided for himself personally. And it is also his right not to be vaccinated.

"All the other players in the team have been vaccinated or have recovered [from Covid] – so they are more or less safe, at least from a medical point of view. One is never quite sure.

"Accordingly, we have a very high vaccination rate. Now, unfortunately, Granit got caught. From a sporting point of view, it is a shame for us at this important moment."

Xhaka is due to miss Arsenal's next three Premier League games through suspension anyway, with the midfielder seeing red for a challenge on Joao Cancelo during last weekend's 5-0 defeat to Manchester City.

The 28-year-old is the latest in a long line of Arsenal players to have tested positive since the season began, with Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ben White and Alex Runarsson all contracting the virus as well.