Legendary Olympic hockey coach admits he used fake COVID vaccination card for Beijing Games

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An Olympic hockey coach admitted to using a fake vaccination card to coach his team in the Beijing Olympics four years ago.

Swiss ice hockey coach Patrick Fischer has admitted he used a certificate falsely claiming he'd been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get around China's strict travel restrictions.

Swiss public broadcaster SRF said it confronted Fischer with documents showing he was fined nearly 39,000 Swiss francs ($50,000) by local authorities in 2023 for document forgery after buying the certificate on social media. SRF said he went public with his admission shortly after.

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Head coach Patrick Fischer of Switzerland reacts during the men's preliminary round Group A match against Czechia at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 15, 2026. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)

In a statement late Monday, Fischer said he made a "serious mistake in this matter" by traveling to Beijing with the Switzerland men's team using false paperwork.

"I'm very sorry if I've disappointed people with this situation," Fischer said. "I was in an extraordinary personal crisis because I didn't want to be vaccinated. At the same time I certainly didn't want to let my team down at the Olympic Games."

Fischer is one of Switzerland's most successful hockey coaches ever. He's been in the post since 2015 and took the team to three Olympics as well as winning three silver medals at the world championship.

Head coach Patrick Fischer of Team Switzerland trains on the ice during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 8,