Switzerland fires hockey coach who admitted to faking vaccination status for 2022 Beijing Olympics

Patrick Fischer, the Swiss hockey manager who admitted helium received a fraudulent vaccination paper to manager the men's hockey squad successful the 2022 Olympics, has been fired.

Urs Kessler, president of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, hinted that the "public treatment astir values and trust" coiled up playing a relation successful the firing contempt the lawsuit being "legally closed."

"Trust and integrity are cardinal to our athletics and to our organization. From today’s perspective, our archetypal appraisal — that the substance was closed — fell short. This is astir values and respect, which are cardinal to Swiss Ice Hockey, and were not upheld by Patrick Fischer successful 2022," Kessler said successful a statement. 

"The federation regrets that it did not springiness this facet capable information successful its archetypal assessment.

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Head manager Patrick Fischer of Switzerland trains connected the crystal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena successful Milan, Italy, connected Feb. 8, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

"At the aforesaid time, the federation acknowledgment Patrick Fischer for his undisputed large sporting achievements. Under his leadership, the Swiss nationalist squad has developed steadily implicit much than a decade, moved up from eighth to 2nd spot successful the satellite rankings, and won 3 metallic medals, thereby leaving a lasting people connected Swiss crystal hockey."

Fischer admitted helium utilized a certificate falsely claiming he'd been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get around China's strict question restrictions.

Swiss nationalist broadcaster SRF said it confronted Fischer with documents showing helium was fined astir 39,000 Swiss francs ($50,000) by section authorities successful 2023 for papers forgery aft buying the certificate connected societal media. SRF said helium went nationalist with his admittance soon after.

In a connection precocious Monday, Fischer said helium made a "serious mistake successful this matter" by traveling to Beijing with the Switzerland men's squad utilizing mendacious paperwork.

Head manager Patrick Fischer of Team Switzerland reacts during a men's preliminary circular Group B crippled betwixt ROC and Switzerland astatine the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games connected Feb. 9, 2022. (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)

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"I'm precise atrocious if I've disappointed radical with this situation," Fischer said. "I was successful an bonzer idiosyncratic situation due to the fact that I didn't privation to beryllium vaccinated. At the aforesaid time, I surely didn't privation to fto my squad down astatine the Olympic Games."

Ahead of the 2022 Olympics, China had immoderate of the strictest COVID-19 rules successful the world. It insisted immoderate athletes heading to the Games had to either beryllium vaccinated against COVID-19 oregon beryllium retired a three-week quarantine successful a edifice arsenic Swiss snowboarder Patrizia Kummer did.

Switzerland hosts the satellite title adjacent month. Fischer was already owed to measurement down aft that.

Fischer is 1 of Switzerland's astir palmy hockey coaches ever. He's been successful the station since 2015 and took the squad to three Olympics and won 3 metallic medals astatine the satellite championships.

Head manager Patrick Fischer of Switzerland reacts during a men's preliminary circular Group A lucifer against Czechia astatine the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games successful Milan, Italy, connected Feb. 15, 2026. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)

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Fischer played for the Swiss nationalist squad successful the 2002 and 2006 Olympics and besides played for the country's 1994 World Juniors team. He spent astir of his vocation playing for EV Zug of Switzerland's National League A, wherever his jersey fig is retired.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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