A Slovakian man who had been on the run from Italian authorities for 16 years was apprehended upon his return to his homeland to show support at the Winter Olympics. The 44-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed, was wanted for alleged shop thefts dating back to 2010. Despite being on the wanted list, he decided to attend the ice hockey event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena but was intercepted by police before reaching the venue.
The fugitive was located after checking into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan. He was promptly arrested and taken to the central San Vittore Prison. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s men’s ice hockey team achieved a surprising victory over Finland in their Olympics opener, amplifying the irony of the situation for the detained man.
Slovakia, who clinched a bronze medal in Beijing four years ago during the NHL player ban, is back in the Winter Games after an absence since Sochi 2014. The ongoing Milano Cortina 2026 event has seen notable occurrences, including Lindsey Vonn’s accident resulting in a leg injury and Jutta Leerdam’s gold win in speed skating.
Team GB is still awaiting its first medal, with hopes resting on athletes like skeleton world champion Matt Weston. The Winter Olympic Games, running from February 6-22, offer over 850 hours of live action on discovery+ via Prime Video. Subscribing to the £3.99 discovery+ Entertainment package grants access to TNT Sports 2, the primary source for continuous Olympic coverage.