A Slovakian man, who had managed to avoid Italian authorities for 16 years, was apprehended upon his return to the country to show support for his nation at the Winter Olympics. The 44-year-old, unnamed individual, sought to cheer for the ice hockey team but was intercepted by the police before reaching the arena. His arrest stemmed from a warrant issued in 2010 related to a series of shop thefts he reportedly committed, resulting in an impending 11-month and seven-day sentence.
Authorities located him after he checked into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan, despite being wanted. His intention to attend the ice hockey event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena was thwarted as he was taken into custody and transferred to San Vittore Prison. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s men’s team surprised by defeating Finland 4-1 in their first Olympic match, setting up games against Italy and Sweden in the preliminary round.
Slovakia, having won bronze in Beijing in 2018 when NHL players were excluded, made a comeback to the Winter Games after the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The ongoing Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics witnessed notable events, including Lindsey Vonn’s accident leading to a leg injury and Jutta Leerdam’s victory in speed skating, elevating her silver medal to gold from Beijing. Team GB is still awaiting their first medal, with hopes pinned on world champion Matt Weston in the upcoming skeleton final.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, spanning from February 6 to 22, offer over 850 hours of live action on discovery+ via Prime Video with the £3.99 Entertainment subscription including access to TNT Sports 2 for continuous Olympic coverage. Viewers can select Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for easy access to preferred news content.