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

An Olympic hockey manager admitted to utilizing a fake vaccination paper to manager his squad successful the Beijing Olympics 4 years ago.

Swiss crystal hockey manager Patrick Fischer has admitted helium utilized a certificate falsely claiming he'd been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get astir 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.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Head manager Patrick Fischer of Switzerland reacts during the 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)

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.

"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 clip I surely didn't privation to fto my squad down astatine the Olympic Games."

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

Head manager Patrick Fischer of Team 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)

OLYMPIC GOLD WINNER DISMISSES ATHLETES' NEGATIVE COMMENTS ON REPRESENTING US: 'I THINK WE'RE THE BEST COUNTRY'

The squad was eliminated successful the quarterfinal round.

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 hotel, arsenic Swiss snowboarder Patrizia Kummer did.

Switzerland hosts the satellite title adjacent month. Fischer was already owed to measurement down aft that, and the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation said it considers the substance closed.

Head manager Patrick Fischer of Team Switzerland reacts during the 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)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

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.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.