Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has acknowledged that he obtained a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate in 2022, saying he deeply regretted the decision and would cooperate fully with Swiss authorities investigating the case.

The 33-year-old Sunderland midfielder made the admission Monday in a statement posted on Instagram, several days after the Lucerne public prosecutor’s office confirmed that criminal proceedings had been opened over a suspected fraudulent COVID certificate.

Xhaka said he had been deeply uncertain about the COVID-19 vaccine at the time and was dealing with what he described as fear, mistrust and uncertainty.

“Today I see clearly that this path was not right. It was a mistake. I am sorry,” Xhaka said in his statement. He added that he accepted responsibility for his decision and was cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.

The admission came after Swiss media reported that prosecutors were investigating whether Xhaka had obtained a false vaccination certification or been involved in document forgery.

Investigation linked to Lucerne doctor

The case is connected to a broader investigation involving a doctor in Lucerne who is suspected of issuing fraudulent COVID-19 certificates.

Swiss authorities reportedly searched the doctor’s practice in 2023 and seized documents, including COVID-related records. Investigators subsequently opened proceedings involving both the doctor and Xhaka. The doctor has denied wrongdoing.

The Lucerne public prosecutor’s office said the investigation was aimed at determining whether criminally relevant conduct had occurred in connection with the possible procurement of false certification and/or document forgery. Xhaka is expected to be questioned by prosecutors in early October, according to Swiss media reports.

Xhaka’s admission also clarified reports surrounding vaccination records that had previously indicated he had been vaccinated in January and November 2022. At the time, he was playing for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Swiss authorities have stressed that the investigation is ongoing, and Xhaka remains entitled to the presumption of innocence. No final legal outcome had been announced as of Monday.

Xhaka withdraws from Switzerland squad

Shortly after Xhaka’s statement, the Swiss Football Association confirmed that he would not join the national team’s training camp in Belek, Türkiye, for the upcoming Nations League matches.

The decision was reached jointly by Xhaka and the SFV leadership. The association said the priority was to give the team stability and allow it to focus on its upcoming fixtures.

Xhaka will therefore miss four Nations League matches, including away games against North Macedonia and Scotland and home fixtures against Slovenia and North Macedonia.

SFV president Peter Knabel said Xhaka had informed the federation about the situation before making his public statement and welcomed the midfielder’s willingness to accept responsibility.

Knabel also said there had been no discussion about stripping Xhaka of the Switzerland captaincy. The federation plans to reassess the situation with the player after the international window.

A significant absence for Switzerland

Xhaka’s absence leaves Switzerland without its most-capped men’s international. He has made 152 appearances for the national team and has captained the side for several years.

The midfielder’s national-team status gives the controversy added significance, although the SFV has not announced any permanent disciplinary action against him.

The issue dates back to 2022, when Xhaka was still an Arsenal player. Swiss authorities had introduced COVID certificates for access to certain activities and venues during the pandemic, while vaccination certificates were also used for international travel. The measures were subsequently scaled back.

Xhaka had previously tested positive for COVID-19 in September 2022 and missed Switzerland’s international matches that month.

The current investigation does not concern his performances on the field. Prosecutors are examining whether the circumstances surrounding the certificate amounted to an offense under Swiss law. Xhaka has acknowledged obtaining the document and said he is cooperating with the investigation.

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A stone in a Trabzon highland has become an unlikely tourist attraction after Mohamed Salah shared a photo of himself sitting on it during a visit to the region.

The Liverpool star’s social media post quickly went viral, prompting fans and visitors to travel to Kurtdere Highland in Maçka to recreate his pose. A sign reading “Salah Yaylası” was subsequently installed at the site, adding another layer to the footballer’s unexpected impact on the area.

Visitors have since been lining up to sit on the same stone where Salah posed for his photograph. What was once an ordinary rock in a quiet highland has effectively become a new photo spot, with fans eager to capture their own version of Salah’s picture.

Tuana Hatipoğlu, who traveled from Kocaeli to her hometown of Trabzon for a Galatasaray game, said she was surprised to see the usually quiet area attract so many visitors.

“I came to my hometown for the Galatasaray game. We also wanted to see the stone because it had become famous,” Hatipoğlu said. “This is the highland where I grew up and spent my childhood. It feels very strange to suddenly see everyone here. It was never this crowded. I never imagined a stone in the highland would become this famous.”

Hatipoğlu also welcomed the attention Salah’s visit has brought to the area but urged visitors to protect its natural surroundings.

“It has been very good for us and for tourism,” she said. “We really enjoy watching him. A stone became famous, and thousands of people are now coming here. Our only concern is the trash. Please don’t litter when you come here. Take your garbage back with you. This place is pristine, and we don’t want it to be polluted.”

Gülsena Hatipoğlu said Salah’s connection with Trabzon had also created excitement among local residents.

“It felt like a dream that Salah came to Trabzonspor, and it also feels like a dream that he came to our highland and took a photo,” she said. “We are already a team of dreams. Hopefully, we will crown this with a championship.”

She added that the area’s popularity should be used to promote, rather than damage, the highland.

“It is such a beautiful place. Our only concern is that there won’t be any trash here,” Hatipoğlu said. “Hopefully, we won’t destroy this place. Instead, we can make it even more special.”

The Salah effect has also attracted visitors who had never previously explored the highland.

Bahtiyar Bekçi, who traveled from Istanbul to Trabzon for the derby, said Salah’s photograph persuaded him to make the trip to Kurtdere after visiting the region.

“We used to come to Sumela Monastery, but we had never come up here,” Bekçi said. “After Salah took a photo here, this stone became known as the Salah stone, so we wanted to come. We cooled our feet in the stream and waited in line to take photos.”

Bekçi said tourists were also showing interest in the spot, adding that the growing crowds had transformed the atmosphere of the once-quiet area.

Bayram Bekçi, who also visited after the Galatasaray game, said sitting on the same stone as Salah made the experience particularly memorable.

“We came for the Galatasaray game. After the victory, we said, ‘Let’s stop by Salah’s highland,’” he said. “It was my first time here and we loved it. He came from Liverpool to a highland in Maçka, and now we are sitting on the same stone. We are proud of him.”

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Raphinha has spent much of his career being told he was not quite good enough. Now, the Barcelona forward is wearing the captain’s armband, leading the club’s attack and making an increasingly convincing case that he belongs among the world’s elite.

The Brazilian scored a perfect hat trick Saturday as Barcelona came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-1 at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, finding the net with his right foot, his head and his left foot. The performance came just four days after another three-goal haul in Barcelona’s 7-2 win over Racing Santander, giving him six goals in three days.

Raphinha has now scored 12 goals in seven La Liga matches and 14 in all competitions, while Barcelona have won all eight of their competitive games this season.

Against Sevilla, Youssouf Fofana put the hosts ahead in the 19th minute, but Raphinha equalized three minutes later after Andreas Christensen slipped a pass through the middle. He then headed Barcelona in front early in the second half after Lamine Yamal found him in the box before completing his hat trick with a left-footed finish.

It was a performance that captured the remarkable evolution of a player whose place at Barcelona once appeared far from secure.

Unwanted to indispensable

Raphinha’s rise is particularly striking because Barcelona were prepared to listen to offers for him only a couple of years ago.

After joining the club from Leeds United in 2022 for a deal worth up to 55 million euros, he struggled to find a settled role and scored 10 goals in each of his first two seasons. He was moved between the wings, while Barcelona were also pursuing Nico Williams as another option for the left side.

Saudi Arabian interest reportedly offered Raphinha a lucrative alternative, and the Brazilian later acknowledged that leaving could have provided financial security for himself and his family.

Instead, he stayed.

Flick’s arrival proved decisive. The German coach made it clear that Raphinha was central to his plans, giving him a defined role on the left and allowing him to attack the penalty area rather than remain isolated on the touchline.

Raphinha responded with the best season of his career in 2024-25, scoring 34 goals and providing 25 assists in 57 appearances as Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

He was named La Liga’s Player of the Season and scored 13 goals in the Champions League, helping Barcelona reach the semifinals. He also finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or voting.

Yet recognition remained elusive.

Raphinha was left out of the FIFPRO World 11 despite his extraordinary season and was subsequently omitted from the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The latter decision came after an injury-disrupted campaign in which he missed significant periods and suffered a hamstring injury that ended his 2026 World Cup after only 38 minutes. His production remained impressive, but limited availability inevitably affected his case.

Raphinha, however, has responded by producing the kind of start that makes his omission increasingly difficult to ignore.

Different kind of star

Raphinha is not the type of attacker who depends on spectacular tricks or highlight-reel dribbles. His game is built around relentless movement, intelligent positioning, pressing and an ability to keep making dangerous runs long after defenders have begun to tire.

Those qualities make him particularly suited to Flick’s high-intensity football.

Raphinha presses aggressively, tracks back when possession is lost and attacks space behind defensive lines, while his movement allows Barcelona to create openings for other attackers. His contribution therefore extends well beyond his goals and assists.

This season, Flick has taken that versatility a step further by increasingly using him through the middle.

Rather than operating as a traditional No. 9 who waits between the center backs, Raphinha frequently drops deeper, pulls defenders away from their positions and then attacks the space that opens behind them. It gives Barcelona another player capable of creating chances as well as finishing them.

His hat trick against Sevilla illustrated that versatility perfectly. He scored with his right foot, won his aerial duel for the second and finished with his left for the third, showing how many different ways he can hurt a defense.

That tactical flexibility has also helped explain why Flick has placed so much trust in him.

Raphinha was named Barcelona’s skipper, becoming the first Brazilian to wear the armband as the first captain in the club’s history.

The appointment represented another extraordinary turn in a career that has repeatedly defied expectations.

The road to Barcelona

His journey to the Camp Nou was hardly that of a conventional superstar.

Raphinha grew up in Restinga, a working-class neighborhood of Porto Alegre, and did not emerge from one of Brazil’s famous academies. He played community football before joining Avaí at 18, relatively late for a player who would eventually become one of Europe’s leading attackers.

His breakthrough came in Portugal, where Vitória Guimarães gave him an opportunity after former Barcelona midfielder Deco spotted him at the Copa Sao Paulo youth tournament.

Raphinha later moved to Sporting CP and then Rennes before joining Leeds United in 2020. His performances in the Premier League eventually earned him his move to Barcelona, where the expectations were considerably greater.

His early struggles under coach Xavi Hernandez only added to the pressure.

He is famously quoted as saying that he already knew his minutes under the former Blaugrana midfield maestro would almost always end around the 60th minute.

Rather than allowing those doubts to define him, Raphinha gradually turned them into motivation.

His breakthrough season under Flick changed his status within Barcelona, while his leadership and consistency have since made him one of the club’s most important players.

The questions that remain

There are still reasons to wait before declaring Raphinha the best player in the world.

Barcelona’s opening schedule before the international break has been relatively favorable, and the club’s toughest tests will come against stronger domestic opponents and in the Champions League.

Raphinha’s injury history is another consideration, particularly because his current role requires repeated high-intensity runs and more physical battles through the middle.

Europe will ultimately provide the biggest test.

Barcelona have not won the Champions League since 2015, and performances during the decisive knockout rounds often have a major influence on individual reputations and awards. Raphinha has already shown that he can perform on big European nights, but another deep run would give him an opportunity to strengthen his case on the biggest stage.

Brazil will provide another challenge as well.

With the national team going through a period of transition, Raphinha is increasingly becoming one of its senior attacking figures. His ability to reproduce his Barcelona form for Brazil could further shape how he is viewed internationally.

It is also worth noting that he is away on international duty with La Selecao and will travel more than 3,500 miles, a demanding trip that could disrupt his momentum and place additional strain on his body.

For now, though, the numbers speak loudly.

Raphinha has gone from a player Barcelona were willing to sell to the club’s captain and leading scorer. He has followed a career-best season with a blistering start to the current campaign, despite being left off the Ballon d’Or shortlist.

His story has never been about being the obvious superstar.

It has been about refusing to disappear.

For years, football kept asking whether Raphinha was good enough for Barcelona. After six goals in three days, 12 league goals in seven matches and a perfect hat trick against Sevilla, the question has changed.

Raphinha is no longer trying to prove that he belongs.

He is making people reconsider how high he belongs.

Mixed martial arts, once banned in much of the U.S. and famously labeled “human cockfighting,” debuted at the Asian Games in Japan this week, a milestone organizers and fighters hope leads to an eventual Olympic berth.

Galastein Tan, director general of the Federation of International Mixed Martial Arts, said being at the Asian Games was “a big step.”

“As for any sport, the inclusion in the continental games is critical,” he told AFP in Nagoya.

“Obviously the inclusion means that you already have a good governance structure, you have enough members, athletes to be able to compete, your rule set, your officials are ready and therefore it is a significant one.”

At a compact gym akin to a school sports hall, men and women scrap it out in separate categories in front of a modest but enthusiastic crowd.

Many of the competitors are from countries with proud histories in fighting sports – Thailand, Kazakhstan, the Philippines and hosts Japan to name a few.

Inspiring a generation

For fans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the MMA promoter synonymous with the sport, there is one immediate difference.

In UFC, which in June held an event on the South Lawn of the White House, the rough and tumble takes place inside a caged octagon.

At the Asian Games competitors do battle on a white and grey mat, but they are not fenced in.

For martial artists used to fighting in a cage, this takes some adapting to – a fence “does not really align with Olympic values,” said Tan.

Getting everyone to agree on the rules of the competition, including what moves are allowed, is one major obstacle to MMA being at the Olympics.

Singapore’s Teo Hui Hoon, who is guaranteed to win at least a silver medal, said that Asian Games and Olympic recognition will encourage a generation to take up the sport.

“I think it will grow the talent pool a lot,” she said.

“It will encourage more children and teenagers to take up the sport and take it seriously.

“Because now there’s a clear pathway, right? You can join a national team, the next step you can go to the Olympics.”

‘We are ready’

MMA is not the only sport debuting at Asia’s premier sporting event and hoping one day to get into the Olympics.

So too is teqball – roughly a crossover between football and table tennis – and there is also the fast-growing racquet sport of padel.

It makes for a crowded field, and there are many other sports with Olympic ambitions.

Plenty of hard work and political lobbying lies ahead if MMA is to make it.

“We have been in talks with the IOC and other relevant stakeholders that have influence or decision on the recognition,” said an upbeat Tan.

The sport does have Dana White in its corner – the UFC chief is openly supportive of Olympic inclusion.

Of the other issues on the long path to Olympic recognition there is a perception in the eyes of some that MMA is too violent.

Still, driven by the phenomenal success of the UFC, MMA is now mainstream – a far cry from the 1990s when U.S. Sen. John McCain likened the early version of the sport to cockfighting.

Getting the whole of MMA to coalesce around one governing body is also essential if an Olympic place is to one day come.

Los Angeles in 2028 is too soon, and then comes Brisbane four years later.

“Nothing is impossible,” said Tan.

“We hope that MMA is a sport that the Olympics finds relevance to and the ability to connect with both adults and also the youth.

“(It is) a sport which has global appeal and a sport that is ready and capable of fitting into a major Games schedule.

“So if the IOC or LA28 comes and say, MMA, would you like to be in as a medal sport or demo sport, we are ready.”

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Surprise package Amed Sportif claimed top spot in the Turkish Süper Lig heading into the international break after securing a 3-2 victory over Beşiktaş Sunday, capitalizing on Galatasaray’s midweek loss, while Fenerbahçe made history with a record-breaking 8-0 thrashing of Eyüpspor.

The sixth week of the Süper Lig season concluded with significant movement at the top of the standings. Amed Sportif moved to 13 points, edging ahead of defending champions Galatasaray on goal average.

Beşiktaş, however, missed an opportunity to take sole possession of first place following their defeat in Diyarbakır. Fenerbahçe, in the meantime, delivered a historic attacking display in Istanbul that prompted the immediate resignation of Eyüpspor head coach Özhan Pulat.

Beşiktaş humbled

Beşiktaş entered the match under manager Vincenzo Italiano sitting in second place with 12 points, just one point behind Galatasaray. Following Galatasaray’s 4-0 loss to Trabzonspor, Beşiktaş needed only a draw to move to the top of the table. However, home side Amed Sportif established early dominance through pressuring defense and clinical finishing.

Gift Orban opened the scoring for Amed Sportif in the 13th minute. Capitalizing on a turnover generated by high pressing, Orban struck a long-range, right-footed effort into the bottom left corner.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. Following a long distribution from the goalkeeper, Samuel Ballet dispossessed Beşiktaş defender Rıdvan near the penalty area and connected with Orban. Orban delivered a backheel pass to Dia Saba, who struck a firm, low shot into the net from the edge of the box.

Beşiktaş sought to respond in the 28th minute when Orkun Kökçü attempted a direct shot from a free kick on the left wing, but the home goalkeeper punched the ball clear. Play was briefly paused in the 38th minute when the stadium’s automated field-sprinkler system unexpectedly activated, causing a one-minute delay before action resumed.

The visitors reduced the deficit in the 55th minute. Following a corner kick from the right, Fabio Miretti found Orkun inside the left side of the penalty box. Orkun shifted the ball to his right foot and fired a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Alban Lafont. Dusan Vlahovic converted the rebound, with the goal confirmed following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.

Amed Sportif restored their two-goal cushion four minutes later through a defensive error. Beşiktaş goalkeeper Alexander Nübel played a short pass toward Salih Özcan, but Furkan Soyalp made a sliding interception to win possession. Spotting Nübel off his line, Furkan lifted a lob into the far corner to make it 3-1.

The host side was reduced to 10 men in the 84th minute when Cisse received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Beşiktaş forward Hyeon-gyu Oh near the left touchline.

Beşiktaş applied pressure in the closing minutes. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Orkun’s shot struck Amed Sportif defender Mehmet, prompting handball appeals.

Following a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty kick. Orkun converted from the spot in the 98th minute to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Amed Sportif held on through the remaining moments to secure the victory and top the Süper Lig table.

Eyüpspor thrashed

At Kadıköy, Fenerbahçe delivered the most decisive victory in Süper Lig history, defeating cross-town rivals Eyüpspor 8-0. The margin surpassed Fenerbahçe’s previous record for their largest Süper Lig win, having previously recorded six 7-0 victories and two 8-1 wins.

The hosts opened the scoring in the fifth minute. Following a VAR review that determined Eyüpspor’s David Costa had fouled Vedat Muriqi inside the penalty area, Mason Greenwood converted the resulting spot kick.

Fenerbahçe extended the lead two minutes later when Kerem Aktürkoğlu delivered a cross to the far post, allowing Muriqi to finish into an open net.

Muriqi added his second goal in the 21st minute, converting a rebound after Eyüpspor goalkeeper Horațiu Moldovan saved an initial attempt from Greenwood.

Matteo Guendouzi made it 4-0 in the 38th minute with a strike from outside the box following a pass from Irfan Can Kahveci.

Kahveci then scored Fenerbahçe’s fifth goal in first-half stoppage time, finishing from close range off a setup from Greenwood.

Fenerbahçe, in the process, became the first team across Europe’s Top 10 leagues to score five goals in the first half of a match this season.

Muriqi completed his hat trick in the 47th minute with a finish at the near post, then added his fourth goal of the match in the 55th minute by heading in a corner kick from Kahveci.

The strike marked Fenerbahçe’s seventh goal in 55 minutes, setting a league record for the fastest seven goals scored by a club in Süper Lig history.

Greenwood concluded the scoring in the 80th minute, converting from close range following an assist from Oğuz Aydın.

Following the historic defeat, Eyüpspor head coach Özhan Pulat submitted his resignation to the club’s board of directors. The board accepted Pulat’s resignation following a post-match meeting.

In other 6th-week action across the league, Erzurumspor FK earned a 1-0 home victory against Samsunspor. Meanwhile, Göztepe played to a 2-2 draw at home against Çaykur Rizespor.

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Great Britain secured their spot in the Davis Cup Finals with a 3-0 win over Ecuador in London Sunday, while U.S. Open finalist Alexander Zverev helped Germany reach the quarterfinals.

Henry Patten and Neal Skupski wrapped up the victory for Britain with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Diego Hidalgo and Gonzalo Escobar, consolidating the work done in the singles the day before by Toby Samuel in his debut and Arthur Fery.

Top-ranked doubles player Patten and his partner Skupski, the world No. 3, secured a sole break of serve in the first set to take control against their 91st- and 93rd-ranked opponents.

In the second set, the British duo took the lead in the ninth game, before promptly serving out the match for the 10-time Davis Cup champions.

“We’re feeling great,” Patten said on court.

“We’re very happy to get it done in the first match.”

Earlier Saturday in the British capital, 23-year-old Samuel overcame Andres Andrade and Wimbledon semifinalist Fery defeated Alvaro Guillen Meza to set up the victory.

Germany’s Zverev then led his country into the Finals. The world No. 2 beat 103rd-ranked Croatian Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-4 to take Germany one step closer to a first Davis Cup title since 1993.

Zverev broke his 21-year-old opponent three times, without facing a break point himself, to win in 77 minutes in Halle.

Zverev had got the Germans off to a winning start against Croatia on Saturday with a straight-sets win against Matej Dodig.

Prizmic hit back instantly for the visiting Croatians but Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz’s win in the doubles rubber tipped the tie back in Germany’s favor.

Spain also stand on the brink of a return to the Finals as they lead hosts Chile 2-0 in Santiago following Daniel Merida and Rafael Jodar’s victories in Saturday’s singles rubbers.

Jaume Munar and Pedro Martinez will meet Tomas Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo in the first of three possible matches on Sunday.

The winners of that final tie will join three-time defending champions and Finals hosts Italy, as well as Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Austria and Canada in the Davis Cup Finals, which will run from Nov. 24-29 in Bologna.

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