A Slovakian man who had been on the run from Italian authorities for 16 years was apprehended upon his return to attend the Winter Olympics to support his country’s ice hockey team. Despite trying to make it to the arena, the 44-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed, was intercepted by police due to an outstanding arrest warrant dating back to 2010 for a string of theft offenses.

The man was located by Carabinieri police after he checked into a guesthouse in the outskirts of Milan. Despite being a wanted fugitive, he had chosen to come back to Italy. His intention was to watch the ice hockey event at the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is being held in conjunction with the Rho Ice Hockey Arena in different parts of the city.

Before reaching the game, he was taken into custody and subsequently transferred to the central San Vittore Prison. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s men’s team achieved a surprising victory against Finland with a 4-1 score. Their upcoming matches include facing Italy on Friday and Sweden on Saturday to conclude the preliminary round.

Slovakia had previously won a bronze medal in Beijing four years ago when NHL players were excluded. This year marks their return to the Winter Games since Sochi 2014. The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics have seen various incidents, including Lindsey Vonn’s dramatic crash and injury, as well as Jutta Leerdam’s upgrade to a gold medal in speed skating.

Team GB is still pursuing their first medal, with high hopes resting on skeleton champion Matt Weston. The Winter Olympics will continue until February 22, with fans able to catch over 850 hours of live action on discovery+ via Prime Video. Additionally, the £3.99 discovery+ Entertainment subscription offers access to TNT Sports 2 for continuous Olympic coverage.