Switzerland will be forced to participate in the next four Nations League matches without captain Granit Hakki, who admitted on Monday that he used a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate during the pandemic.
Switzerland will be forced to participate in the next four Nations League matches without captain Granit Hakki, who admitted on Monday that he used a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate during the pandemic.
The 33-year-old midfielder stated on his social media on Monday that he presented a falsified document to avoid mandatory vaccination during the COVID crisis. He wrote on Instagram: 'At the time I was very worried about the issue of Covid-19 vaccination... I felt deep distrust towards the vaccine and anxiety and doubts overwhelmed me.'
He added: 'Today I clearly see that I made the wrong decision. It was a mistake. I am sorry,' noting that he is 'fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.'
According to Swiss media, this matter is currently being investigated by the Lucerne public prosecutor's office.
Meanwhile, the Swiss Football Association announced that it had reached an agreement with the player that he would not join the Swiss national team in Belek, Turkey, for a training camp starting on Monday.
In its statement, the association reported: 'Following his personal statement regarding vaccination status, Granit Hakki will not participate in the upcoming men's national team camp.'
Swiss FA President Peter Knabel stated in the same announcement: 'We welcome the fact that Granit is taking this step and is ready to fully clarify the situation.'
He continued: 'At the same time, we have mutually agreed that for the best interest of the team, this camp should take place without him.'
Knabel emphasized: 'Our priority now is to calm the situation and focus entirely on the team and the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches.'
Switzerland will start its away campaign against North Macedonia on Saturday, and then travel to play Scotland on September 29. On October 3 and 6, the Swiss will host matches against Slovenia and North Macedonia in Lucerne. Knabel noted: 'At the end of this international window, we will re-evaluate the situation with Granit and discuss further steps.'
Subsequently, Switzerland will play against Slovenia on November 13 and against Scotland on November 16, also as part of the Nations League.
Matches of the sixth round of the 46th World Chess Olympiad took place in Samarkand, where the main men's team of Uzbekistan defeated the Indian team, which is the reigning world champion.
During this intense competition, Uzbek chess players demonstrated a high level of skill. Jawhohir Sindorov drew against Arjun Erigaisi, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov shared points with Ramesh Babu Pragnanandh. Furthermore, Shamsiddin Vohidov finished his game against the reigning world champion Gukesh with a draw.
The key moment that secured the overall victory for the Uzbekistan team in the important match was the triumphant performance of Nodirbek Yakubboev, who defeated Nihal Sarin. The tournament officially started on September 15 and is scheduled to end on September 27. It is worth noting that prior to this, the Uzbekistan team had already achieved a confident victory over Hungary and taken the leading positions in the Chess Olympiad.
Stormers captain Ruan Nel stated that the team is set on revenge in the upcoming match against Connacht as the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season kicks off on Friday evening.
The Stormers team begins its URC campaign against Connacht on Friday evening with a mission of retribution. The match, which will take place in Galway (starting at 20:45), will give the visitors a chance to start the season with a victory over the team they defeated last season, as well as inflict an early defeat on one of the Irish clubs that slowed their ambitions.
After reaching the semi-finals and coming close to the final, the Cape Town team hopes to start the new phase with a clean slate, aiming to repeat their success at the beginning of the URC season last year.
Ruan Nel commented on the trip to Galway, noting: 'Connacht is a difficult place to play, and I think they will break many teams there this season.' He added that a successful start in Galway would be a good beginning. He also mentioned the previous meeting at the DHL Stadium, calling it very tough for them, after which they conceded two unusual halves.
'So we will try to get revenge on their ground (on Friday),' Nel stated.
According to Nel, new players Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe, and Vilko Lowe are eager to join the squad. They briefly interacted during the photoshoot for the new jerseys, and the captain believes this trio will bring huge benefits to the group.
However, he emphasized that the human factor, especially among the senior Springbok players, will likely be the most important element. He believes this will help them achieve their goal—to win the URC for the first time since its inception.
Nel clarified that, unlike some teams that might only aim to make the top eight to participate in the Champions Cup, Stormers are targeting victory in both tournaments and want to be competitive in both leagues. He noted that many familiar players have returned to the squad, and they have formed a truly excellent group striving to win major trophies.
'We are very happy to play the first match in black kit. We would like to replicate this style, but the game has evolved, and everything has changed a bit. There is a certain responsibility associated with playing in the 'Men in Black' kit, but we will not create unnecessary pressure on ourselves or deviate from our identity and what makes us strong,' he concluded.
The second day of the 2026 Asian Games proved mixed for Indian athletes; however, they demonstrated impressive performance by winning a total of four new medals (three silver and one bronze). The main focus was on the shooting range and the mixed martial arts (MMA) arena.
Despite the successes, India has yet to secure its first gold medal. The day started brightly for India: the men's air rifle team in the 10-meter distance won a silver medal thanks to excellent aiming. Individual competitions also brought success afterward.
Himanshu Dhillou secured a silver medal, and former world champion Rudranaksh Patil won bronze, demonstrating strong competition. Furthermore, Suchika Tarial from the mixed martial arts section set a historic record by winning a bronze medal in the women's traditional fighting category at 60 kg.
Tension peaked in the matches between India and Pakistan. In the team table tennis tournament, India achieved a convincing victory over Pakistan with a score of 3:0 in both their encounters, defeating the Pakistani team twice in one day.
The women's table tennis team, consisting of Sutirta Mukki, young athlete Sindrela Das, and Shridhi Akula, left no chance for the Pakistani team. Subsequently, the men's table tennis team continued its confident play against Pakistan, easily winning its matches involving Ji Satyan, Harmit Desai, and Pais Jain.
Significant events also occurred in sports disciplines. The women's hockey team of India achieved a one-sided victory over Indonesia with a score of 17:1. In kabaddi, both teams—men's and women's, the reigning Indian champions—started their tournament strongly: the men's team defeated Japan with a score of 49:24, and the women's team defeated Bangladesh with a score of 42:21.
In badminton, the men's Indian team advanced to the quarterfinals, defeating Bangladesh 3:0, thanks to the performances of Lakshya Sen, Ayusha Shetty, and Kidambi Srikanth. In boxing, in the 32kg weight class, Sumit beat Bunjong Sinsiri from Thailand with a score of 5:0 and advanced to the next stage. In Wushu, Roshbina Devi and Aryan secured their place in the quarterfinals by achieving brilliant victories in their matches.
