… All of the applicants complained that the proceedings before the Arbitration Committee had not met the requirements of
independence
and
impartiality
under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention, the relevant part of which reads as follows:
“In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an
independent
and
impartial
tribunal
established
by
law
. ...”
144. …
… The Court must first ascertain whether the Arbitration Committee could be regarded as an “
independent
and
impartial
tribunal
established
by
law
” within the meaning of that Article and the principles laid down in paragraphs above, at the time when it adjudicated the applicants’ respective cases (see Mutu and Pechstein, cited above, § 148).
202. …
… At the time when it adjudicated the applicants’ respective cases, by the combined effect of the primary and secondary legislation, the Arbitration Committee had the appearance of a “
tribunal
established
by
law
” within the meaning of Article 6 § 1, and this point was not in fact expressly disputed by the applicants. It remains to be ascertained whether it could be regarded as “
independent
” and “
impartial
” within the meaning of that provision.
205. …