Slovak Man Arrested at Olympics, 16 Years After Warrant Issued

A man from Slovakia found himself in Milan this week, 16 years after a warrant was launched against him by prosecutors in his home country.

The 44-year-old individual, whose name hasn’t been disclosed, came to watch his national hockey team take on Finland, a match that surprisingly ended with Slovakia winning 4-1. It all feels a bit like a Slovakian version of “Miracle on Ice,” though I didn’t get to witness that event myself.

Authorities managed to locate the suspect after he checked into a guesthouse on the outskirts of Milan. He was subsequently taken to San Vittore prison in the city center prior to attending the match.

The warrant was issued due to multiple theft charges dating back to 2010, and it appears that he is currently facing a sentence of 11 months and seven days behind bars.

Perhaps the excitement from the fans was meant to bolster their team, which is scheduled to face the host nation, Italy, on Friday. The qualifying round for Slovakia will wrap up on Saturday against Sweden, who are likely also vying for a gold medal.

Interestingly, during the previous Winter Olympics in Beijing, which was marked by the absence of NHL players, Slovakia managed to secure a bronze medal. This year, their roster is led by Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slavkovskiy, who already has some Olympic experience.

Back in 2022, Slavkovskiy was just starting his career, yet, at only 17, he was the youngest athlete at the Games. He ended up leading in points and earned the title of most valuable player.

In the match against Finland, Slavkovskiy scored two goals, and the game-winning shot was delivered by Dalibor Dvorskiy from the St. Louis Blues, with less than 13 minutes left to play.

Sadly, not all fans will have the chance to cheer their team on in person.