ESP, that is true, although as a judge I have to pay attention to that sort of thing. Every so often I'll see a "paralyzed" Cleffa and ask the players to correct it.
In fact, at league one time, I was using my V-Takeover and paralyzed my opponent's Pokemon. I turned it 90 degrees clockwise, and my opponent said "that's asleep". I responded with a simple "no it isn't".