An individual who had been on the run from Italian authorities for 16 years was apprehended upon his return to the country to show support for his nation at the Winter Olympics. The man, a Slovakian citizen, attended the event to cheer on the ice hockey team, but was intercepted by police before reaching the venue. He had been wanted since 2010 for a series of thefts and now faces an 11-month prison term.
Authorities located him when he checked into a guesthouse near Milan, demonstrating his audacity by returning despite being a fugitive. The Winter Games’ ice hockey matches are taking place at two arenas on opposite sides of the city, with the man aiming to attend one on Wednesday evening before his arrest.
Upon his detention, he was taken to San Vittore Prison while Slovakia’s men’s team achieved a surprising victory over Finland with a 4-1 score. Their upcoming matches include facing Italy on Friday and Sweden on Saturday to conclude the preliminary round.
Slovakia, having won bronze in Beijing four years ago, has reentered the Winter Olympics after an absence since Sochi 2014. In other events at Milano Cortina 2026, notable incidents included Lindsey Vonn’s dramatic crash resulting in a leg injury and Jake Paul’s fiancée securing a gold medal in speed skating.
Team GB is still awaiting its first medal after several close calls, with high hopes pinned on skeleton champion Matt Weston for a potential gold in the finals. Fans can catch over 850 hours of live action on discovery+ via Prime Video throughout the Winter Games, with the £3.99 Entertainment subscription offering access to TNT Sports 2 for continuous Olympic coverage.