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Patrick Fischer, the Swiss hockey coach who admitted receiving a fraudulent vaccination card to coach the men’s hockey team at the 2022 Olympics, has been fired.
Urs Kessler, president of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, suggested that “the public debate about values and trust” ended up influencing the dismissal, even though the case was “legally closed.”
“Trust and integrity are fundamental to our sport and our organization. From today’s perspective, our initial assessment (that the matter was closed) fell short. These are values and respect, which are fundamental for Swiss ice hockey and were not upheld by Patrick Fischer in 2022,” Kessler said in a statement.
“The federation regrets not having paid sufficient attention to this aspect in its initial evaluation.
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Head coach Patrick Fischer of Switzerland trains on the ice during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the Milano Santagiulia ice hockey stadium in Milan, Italy, on February 8, 2026. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“At the same time, the federation thanks Patrick Fischer for his undisputed and important sporting achievements. Under his leadership, the Swiss national team has constantly evolved for more than a decade, rising from eighth to second place in the world rankings and winning three silver medals, thus leaving a lasting mark on Swiss ice hockey.”
Fischer admitted that he used a certificate that falsely stated that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel China’s strict travel restrictions.
Swiss public broadcaster SRF said it confronted Fischer with documents showing local authorities fined him nearly 39,000 Swiss francs ($50,000) in 2023 for forging documents after purchasing the certificate on social media. SRF said it made its admission public shortly afterward.
In a statement late Monday, Fischer said he made a “serious mistake in this matter” by traveling to Beijing with the Swiss men’s team using false documentation.
Head coach Patrick Fischer of Team Switzerland reacts during a men’s Group B preliminary round match between the ROC and Switzerland at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on February 9, 2022. (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
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“I’m very sorry that I let people down with this situation,” Fischer said. “I was in an extraordinary personal crisis because I didn’t want to get vaccinated. At the same time, I certainly didn’t want to let my team down at the Olympics.”
Ahead of the 2022 Olympics, China had some of the strictest COVID-19 rules in the world. He insisted that any athlete heading to the Games had to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo a three-week quarantine in a hotel, as Swiss snowboarder Patrizia Kummer did.
Switzerland will host the world championship next month. After that, Fischer was already due to resign.
Fischer is one of the most successful Swiss hockey coaches of all time. He has held the position since 2015 and led the team to three olympics and won three silver medals at the world championships.
Head coach Patrick Fischer of Switzerland reacts during a men’s Group A preliminary round match against the Czech Republic at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, on February 15, 2026. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
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Fischer played for the Swiss national team in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics and also played for the country’s 1994 world junior team. He spent most of his career playing for EV Zug of the Swiss National League A, where his jersey number is retired.
