The Winter Olympics are currently in full swing in Milan and Cortina, drawing thousands of fans worldwide to Italy to support their national teams and aim for patriotic triumph.
Among those returning to Italy was a 44-year-old Slovakian man who had evaded law enforcement for the past 16 years, despite needing to stay away.
According to the Associated Press, Italy’s Carabinieri police arrested the fugitive on Wednesday, February 11, after receiving a tip-off. He had been on the run since 2010 due to multiple offenses.
Ironically, like many enthusiasts, he returned to Italy to support his national team in the ice hockey competition. However, before he could witness Slovakia’s 3-2 victory over Italy on their home ground, he was arrested and taken to prison.
Authorities reported that the unnamed individual returned to watch the match at Santagiulia Arena in Milan.
However, his presence in the country was detected when the campsite where he was staying issued ‘an automatic alert’ upon his check-in.
After evading an 11-month and one-week sentence for several thefts committed at the age of 28, he was immediately sent to Milan’s San Vittore prison to serve his time.
Despite being in San Vittore, located in Milan’s city center, he may have still heard the cheers of the crowd as he missed his country’s strong early showing at the 2026 Winter Games.
Slovakia’s ice hockey fans have enjoyed an exciting few years, particularly after securing their first bronze medal in the 2022 Olympic event.
Prior to defeating Italy 3-2, the Slovakian team delivered a strong performance against Finland, winning 4-1. However, their winning streak ended on Saturday when Sweden defeated them 5-3.
Despite this setback, Slovakia’s strong early performance allowed them to win Group B due to their significant goal difference against Finland.
Adrian Kempe, a standout Swedish player who also plays for the LA Kings, remarked after the game, acknowledging Slovakia’s skills: “They’re a good team. They’re physical, they play hard, they play fast.”
“So obviously every game is going to be really tough, but I think overall, we did a way better job today.”