Patrick Fischer, the head coach of the Swiss men's ice hockey team, has been dismissed after admitting to using a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate to enter China for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation announced the decision on Wednesday, reversing its earlier stance that the case was closed.
Fischer had initially been supported by the federation after he confessed to the forgery. However, federation president Urs Kessler stated that the subsequent public debate about values and trust prompted a reassessment. "From today's perspective, our initial assessment — that the matter was concluded — was too short-sighted," Kessler said. "This is about values and respect, that are fundamental to Swiss Ice Hockey and which Patrick Fischer did not uphold in 2022."
Fischer, who had been in the role since 2015 and led Switzerland to three Olympic appearances and three world championship silver medals, said he was in an "extraordinary personal crisis" due to his reluctance to be vaccinated. He expressed regret for disappointing people but noted he did not want to let his team down at the Games. The Swiss public broadcaster SRF reported that Fischer was fined nearly 39,000 Swiss francs (£36,750) in 2023 for document forgery after purchasing the fake certificate on social media.
Switzerland is set to host the world championship next month. Fischer was already scheduled to step down after the tournament, but his dismissal has accelerated the transition. Jan Cadieux, the former under-20 coach who was named Fischer's successor from next year, will take over immediately.
During the 2022 Olympics, China enforced strict Covid-19 rules, requiring either vaccination or a three-week hotel quarantine for athletes. Fischer's team reached the quarter-finals in Beijing, where the NHL did not participate due to the pandemic.
