NDM knew exactly what he was doing and wouldn’t have expected a diffrent outcome.
Michael Beloff has worked with NDM more times than he has worked with the EPL. Even if that wasn't the case, NDM knows that no judge is ever going to rule that a top, highly experienced QC doesn't have the capacity to act impartiality when required.
On the second ruling, again NDM knows very well that arbitrations are private processes that aren't played out in public. Though the findings will of course be made public which is standard practice.
The purpose of both appeals was to further build the narrative that the EPL are a biased, untransparent organisation. The club statement effectively calling the EPL out further supports this.
Additionally it intensifies focus on the arbitration panel and creates grounds for an appeal if the panel are in any way not impartial. Therefore if the EPL were hoping that Beloff was in anyway going to be biased towards thier arguments, this now ensures that he can't be.
Also it works in our favour that arbitration is only focusing on who should be named as a director and therefore be subject to the O&D test. Piracy claims, chopping up journalists etc is all an irrelevance to the arbitration process and would only ever be relevant later down the line if the KSA is named as a director.
All NDM and SF have to prove is that the KSA PIF is a separate legal entity and is operated for the benefit of the KSA but not by the KSA per se. The WTO recognise this as being the case so I'm confident that NDM and SF will be able to present a convincing case.
Though I think the EPL will pull out of arbitration before the panel can make a decision and agree to list the KSA PIF and not the KSA as a director and then proceed with the O&D test. Especially if it is true that the EPL have acted improperly and discussed the takeover with the likes of BeIn.
The last thing the EPL will want is for the arbitration panel to conclude that they acted improperly during the process even if they find in thier favour in terms of listing KSA as a director. As this will open up the prospect of challenges in the courts and it'll get messy for the EPL.