A picture from the ice hockey game the fugitive never got to see(Image: Getty Images)
A man on the run from the law for nearly 20 years has finally been arrested, with police catching up to the wanted fugitive at the Winter Olympics. Police in Italy confirmed the arrest on Friday, February 13, after the unnamed man turned up in Milan to cheer on Slovakia, his home nation, in an ice hockey match as part of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He was arrested on Wednesday, February 11, after being on the lam for an eye-watering 16 years.
According to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he was wanted on a 2010 warrant on charges of commercial theft in Bolzano, 125 miles northeast of Milan.
Team Slovakia celebrate after scoring a goal in its clash against Finland at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games (Image: Getty Images)
Italy’s military police finally managed to track down the man after he checked in at a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan. Hotel staff alerted the Italian military police, who showed up to his room and arrested him, as per Italian news agency ANSA. He was then whisked away for a check-in of a different kind: an 11 month and seven day-long stay Milan’s San Vittore prison. The man did not get to see the Slovakian match, with his nation victorious at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena on Wednesday, defeating Finland 4-1. Slovakia went on to beat host nation Italy 3-2 on Friday, but lost in their final preliminary game to Sweden 5-3 on Saturday, February 14. The men’s hockey tournament is still in the group stage, and the remaining games to be played Saturday and Sunday will determine whether Slovakia advances or must face a sudden death match.
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