The Swiss Football Association conformed today that Granit Xhaka, who plays for Premier League club Arsenal, has declined a covid-19 jab. He was left out of Switzerland’s game with Greece yesterday.
After Xhaka (The Swiss captain) had failed a PCR test, it was discovered that he had been offered a jab and turned it down. The Swiss Press Officer told the media:
“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.”
According to a report by The Daily Telegraph, around 70 per cent of players in the English Football League’s 72 clubs have had at least one jab. 30 per cent of the players have said no thanks.
Unsurprisingly, Swiss captain Xhaka has been widely condemned in the media. He’s been branded negligent and selfish even though the legacy media is well aware that the claim that you should be jabbed to protect others has been thoroughly debunked.
Xhaka therefore, cannot be accused of selfishness. His decision to swerve the jab has no impact on his team mates, the staff or his opponents. As a super-fit Premier League footballer, he has nothing to fear from Covid. He was right to turn down the experimental medicine.
Will clubs sideline players who refuse the jab? That remains to be seen. It wouldn’t surprise me though.
