Man City and sportswashing are barely mentioned right now, but it only takes one incident and the spot light will be right back on them. I tried to make that point to a mag I know a few months ago and he just wouldn't get it.
More human rights abuses, dissidents murdered or imprisoned, links to terrorist funding discovered, civil liberties crackdowns or a small "hot" war with a neighbour and the world's attention will be on them. Not just the Saudi/Abu Dhabi/Qatari/ whatever states, but the football clubs, golf tournaments, formula 1 grand prix, boxing matches and so on they're involved with. They'll be the lightning rods attracting Amnesty International, investigative journalism and media outlets and public protests. I'm old enough to remember anti Apartheid protests at athletics meetings when Zola Budd was competing and protests against cricketers and Rugby players who'd toured South Africa on rebel tours. Can you imagine human rights protests getting televised outside or inside Sid James Park or the Etihad on a match day? Or protests on the greens at a golf tournament? It's stuff like that that'll make those involved uncomfortable because of their association with it.
Personally I'd rather be well away from it