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Weeks after Thailand’s women’s Arena of Valor team withdrew from the SEA Games amid a cheating scandal, the truth behind the incident has finally come out.
During the 33rd SEA Games Arena of Valor competition on December 15, Thailand suffered a 0–3 loss to Vietnam in the upper bracket final. Shortly after the match, the Thailand Esports Federation confirmed that Warasin Naraphat, known in-game as Tokyogurl, had been disqualified for violating competition rules.
Officials said Naraphat breached the Esports Technical Manual, which strictly prohibits the use of unauthorized software, modified equipment, or third-party involvement during matches. An investigation by SEA Games organizers followed, with Naraphat receiving the tournament’s maximum penalty: disqualification.
Despite Thailand leading Laos 1–0 in the lower bracket final on December 16 and still having a path to the gold medal match, the federation made the shock decision to withdraw the entire women’s team from the tournament.
TESFTokyogurl represented Thailand’s women’s team in Arena of Valor at the 33rd SEA Games.
At the time, Tokyogurl denied wrongdoing. She claimed she played the match herself, said she panicked mid-game, became unwell, and was later taken to hospital.
That narrative collapsed on January 2.
Thai esports player confesses to playing for Tokyogurl
Thai esports player Cheerio, also known as Kong and Tokyogurl’s boyfriend, posted a TikTok message admitting he had played in her place. He said the decision was selfish, accepted full responsibility, and apologized to fans, officials, and the teammates who lost their chance to compete.
“I want to come out and clarify the issues that have happened in the past during the SEA Games period and other competitions, where everyone suspected that a third party was playing in place during several matches. I admit that it’s true.”
Cheerio explained that the scale of the backlash left him unsure how to respond, leading him to stay silent for more than two weeks after the match.
“I didn’t intend for things to escalate to this point and cause disappointment to many people,” he added. “I humbly accept all criticism and the consequences that follow, without any excuses.”
According to regional outlet Baomoi, Cheerio had been highly respected within the Thai esports scene prior to the incident, making the confession even more damaging.
Esports cheaters face legal consequences
Publisher Garena banned Tokyogurl from all Arena of Valor tournaments starting December 16, 2025. Her club, TALON, terminated her contract immediately, while RoV Esports organizers issued a lifetime ban.
The punishments mark one of the most severe scandals in the history of Thai esports.
Only after Cheerio’s admission did Tokyogurl acknowledge her role. The following morning, she posted a brief apology on Facebook, writing simply: “I’m sorry.”
Meanwhile, Santi Lothong, President of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation and head of the Esports Sports Association of Thailand, is reportedly moving forward with legal action against both parties, vowing to pursue the case to the fullest extent possible.
This is just the latest in a long line of esports cheating controversies.
Last year, CS2 pro Joel ‘joel’ Holmlund received a permanent ban after cheats were found on his PC, compounded by threats toward the Esports Integrity Commission.
Even events outside traditional esports have been affected. In April 2025, streamer DrLupo was dropped from a $100,000 PogChamps chess tournament after violating Chess.com’s fair play rules, a controversy that ultimately ended in a full admission.
