Arbitrator Bias: Lessons From Sports Arbitration

Gemma Anderson, Pietro Grassi, and Femi Omisore authored an article for Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law Arbitration Blog covering two recent sports arbitration decisions by the English High Court and the European Court of Human Rights that have provided renewed guidance on what might give rise to arbitrator bias in international arbitration.

“A party who intends to challenge an arbitrator for bias is well advised to do so as soon as it becomes aware of a potential ground for challenge. Different arbitral institutions will have varying time limits in which a party can challenge the composition of the arbitral tribunal,” the authors wrote, adding: “Arbitrator bias is a serious issue that should be addressed as early as possible and not be used as a backup argument at a later stage.”

Read the full article.