Ajman: Mr. B. Y. Raghavendra, Member of Parliament representing Shimoga district of Karnataka and son of Karnataka Chief Minister, visited Thumbay Medicity, Ajman, UAE – a regional hub of medical education, healthcare and research built by Thumbay Group – on 30th December 2019. He was greeted at Thumbay Medicity by Dr. Thumbay Moideen – Founder President of Thumbay Group.

Mr. B. Y. Raghavendra toured the advanced healthcare and medical education facilities at Thumbay Medicity including Gulf Medical University – the largest private medical university in the Middle East region, Thumbay University Hospital – with 350 beds, the biggest private academic hospital in the region, Thumbay Dental Hospital – the first private dental hospital in the country and Thumbay Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Hospital - the biggest and most advanced hospital for physical therapy and rehabilitation. He also visited the robotic Thumbay Pharmacy housed within Thumbay University Hospital. Mr. B. Y. Raghavendra commended Thumbay Medicity for the excellent facilities for healthcare and medical education.

The vision, mission and future directions of Thumbay Group and Gulf Medical University – the region’s leading private medical university, as well as the University’s advanced training and teaching facilities were also presented before the guest. He appreciated Thumbay Group’s efforts in bringing the latest technology and innovation in healthcare and medical education to the region.

Dr. Thumbay Moideen said that Thumbay Medicity serves the region as a hub of world-class healthcare and medical education, fully equipped to serve a floating population of 20,000. “The Thumbay University Hospital, combined with the dental and rehabilitation hospitals make Thumbay Medicity a unique destination for specialized care. Thumbay Medicity is also a referral facility to which primary and secondary care hospitals and clinics refer serious cases,” he explained, adding, “The strategic plans of Thumbay Group include the expansion of our global footprint, including setting up new university campuses as well as healthcare and research facilities in different parts of the world.”

Thumbay Medicity also houses Body & Soul Health Club and Spa, Thumbay Food Court, Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe, Thumbay Pharmacy etc. The specialized hospitals of Thumbay Medicity are Academic Health Centers of the Gulf Medical University Academic Health System (GMUAHS), which give them the unique advantage of having the expertise of doctors who are also academicians and researchers. GMUAHS has the distinction of being the first private academic health system in the region in Ajman.

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New Delhi, May 5: Bajrang Punia has been handed provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during recent trials and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is furious that NADA kept it "in dark" on the development and is planning to write to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the matter.

Bajrang was handed provisional suspension on April 23 by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) and asked to send his reply by May 7 to avoid further disciplinary action.

The trials to pick the men's national team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek were held in Sonepat on March 10 and Bajrang had walked off the venue without providing his urine sample after losing his bout.

Reacting to his suspension, Bajrang said he never refused to provide his sample to NADA officials.

"I want to clarify that I never refused to give my sample to NADA officials. I requested them to first answer me as to what action they took on the expired kit they brought to take my sample and then take my dope test," Bajrang wrote on X.

"My lawyer Vidush Singhania will reply to this letter," he wrote further.

The Tokyo Games bronze medallist also posted a video in which he displayed "expired kits" being sent for sample collection and asked the official why such kits were brought.

The video is from the time a dope sample collecting officer visited him to take samples. In the video, Bajrang said he was fortunate to have a team that noticed the expiry date and what would have innocent junior wrestlers done in case such kits reach them.

He also alleged that former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was using such kits to scare women wrestlers who had the guts to come out in the open against him.

"I am not blaming you. This is work of the big crocodiles sitting above. Money talks in these matter," he was heard telling the officer in the video.

If Bajrang fails to come out clean with his reply, he will be out of the race for Paris Olympic Qualification.

According to the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code, "Refusing, or failing without compelling justification, to submit to sample collection after notification as authorized in applicable anti-doping rules or otherwise evading sample collection is an anti-doping rule violation."

Meanwhile WFI President Sanjay Singh expressed his surprise that NADA did not inform them about the suspension.

"It's really surprising that NADA did not keep us in loop while suspending Bajrang. I had a meeting with NADA DG and other officials on April 25 and this matter was not raised in that meeting," Sanjay told PTI.

"They keep communicating with us on matters such as whereabout clause requirements, long list (for Paris Olympics) and so on. Even we had a discussion about the recent Federation Cup, where they sent officials to collect samples from the winners.

"But they did not let us know about this suspension of Bajrang Punia. I called NADA officials this morning and they had no answer to my query. Now, I plan to write to NADA and also inform WADA about this," he said.

It was reported that Vinesh Phogat had also initially refused to provide her sample after she won the women's 50kg trials in Patiala.

"We were not informed by anyone whose samples were taken after trials (in Sonepat and Patiala) and what came out of those samples. Just imagine if Bajrang had come to compete in the Federation Cup. We would have allowed him because we had no clue that he had been suspended," the WFI chief added.

Meanwhile, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, who was the head of the dissolved ad-hoc panel, told PTI they also have no communication regarding the suspension of Bajrang.

"I have got the mail checked. We have no such communication. We got a mail on April 18 about a warning to Bajrang but the April 23 communication is not with us. I don't know to which email ID they sent it," Bajwa said.

The World Qualifiers in Turkey from May 9 is the last chance for Indian wrestlers to lock quotas for the Paris Olympics. Sujeet Kalkal will represent India in the men's freestyle 65kg class, a category in which Bajrang competes.

If Sujeet wins the quota, the WFI may ask him and other quota winners to appear in one final trial to decide who represents India in the Paris Games, starting July 26.

So far, four Indian women wrestlers -- Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg) and Reetika Hooda (76kg) -- have qualified for the Olympics.