Man Arrested After 16 Years on the Run When He Returns to Italy to Watch Olympics 2026

The Slovakian hockey team had one less fan in the bleachers at the 2026 Olympics.

A Slovak national was arrested Feb. 11 in Milan over a warrant issued in the country 16 years earlier for a series of thefts, local authorities confirmed to Reuters.

The 44-year-old man—whose name was not disclosed—had returned to Italy in hopes of watching his home country play against Finland in the preliminary round. Instead of cheering on Slovakia at the Santagiulia Arena, he was arrested after local Carabinieri police tracked him down when he checked into a guest house in Milan.

Authorities told Reuters that the man was taken to the San Vittore prison, where he will serve an 11-month and one-week sentence for the 2010 thefts.

While the man is spending the rest of the Olympics behind bars, the Slovakian team is focusing on its game behind glass walls. Following their win against Finland, forward Juraj Slafkovsky reflected on their accomplishment, especially thanks to their goalie Samuel Hlavaj.