An individual who had managed to avoid Italian authorities for 16 years was apprehended upon returning to show support for his country at the Winter Olympics. The man, a citizen of Slovakia, came back to the location of his alleged offenses to root for their ice hockey team.
Despite his anonymity, the 44-year-old was intercepted by police before reaching the arena, as an arrest warrant had been issued in 2010 due to a string of thefts he confessed to committing. The Carabinieri police disclosed that he faces a sentence of 11 months and seven days.
Authorities located him after he checked into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan, choosing to revisit the country despite being a wanted individual. The Winter Games’ ice hockey competitions are split between the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and the Rho Ice Hockey Arena on opposite sides of the city, with the man planning to attend the former on Wednesday evening.
Before reaching the arena, he was taken into custody and subsequently transferred to the central San Vittore Prison, while Slovakia’s men triumphed with a 4-1 victory over Finland in their Olympic debut, further complicating the situation for the fugitive. Their upcoming matches include facing Italy on Friday and concluding the preliminary round against Sweden on Saturday.
Slovakia secured a bronze medal four years ago in Beijing when NHL players were excluded, and now they have made their return for the first time since Sochi 2014.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have been marked by several dramatic moments. American athlete Lindsey Vonn suffered a severe crash and leg injury while attempting a race without an ACL. Additionally, Jutta Leerdam, Jake Paul’s fiancée, upgraded her silver medal from Beijing to gold with an impressive victory in the 1000m speed skating event, causing emotional scenes in the crowd as Paul supported her.
Despite some near misses, Team GB is yet to secure a medal, but hopes remain high for skeleton world champion Matt Weston, who is poised for a shot at gold in the upcoming final on Friday evening.
Fans can follow the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games from February 6 to 22, with over 850 hours of live action available on discovery+ via Prime Video. The £3.99 discovery+ Entertainment subscription grants access to TNT Sports 2 for continuous Olympic coverage throughout the event.