Thailand women’s esports star disqualified after cheating on stage and still losing

A Thailand women’s esports player has been disqualified from the SEA Games after being caught cheating during a live match, despite her team still losing the series and being blown out.

The incident occurred during the 33rd SEA Games Arena of Valor competition on December 15, when Thailand’s women’s team suffered a 0–3 loss to Vietnam in the upper bracket final.

Shortly after the match, the Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) confirmed that Warasin Naraphat, better known as Tokyogurl, had been disqualified for violating competition rules.

TESF said Naraphat breached the Esports Technical Manual, which strictly bans the use of unauthorized third-party software or modified competition equipment during matches.

Online speculation exploded after viewers noticed suspicious behavior during the broadcast. Thai outlet Khaosod later reported that Naraphat was seen making a middle-finger gesture on camera before being substituted out mid-series against Vietnam.

An investigation was immediately launched by SEA Games officials. Naraphat, who played marksman for the team, was found to have committed a serious technical violation and received the tournament’s maximum penalty: disqualification.

TESF did not confirm the exact software used. However, investigations suggest TeamViewer, a remote access program, may have been involved and that someone else may have been playing for Tokyogurl.

Thailand withdraws from Arena of Valor tournament after cheating controversy

The fallout extended far beyond one player.

Despite Thailand leading Laos 1–0 in the lower bracket final on December 16 and still having a path to the gold medal match, TESF made the decision to withdraw the entire Arena of Valor women’s team from the tournament.

“Fair play is paramount,” TESF said in an official statement. “We accept the organizing committee’s decision and will conduct an internal investigation to prevent similar incidents from recurring.”

Cryptic social media posts from teammates fueled speculation before the official ruling.

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Player Jomkhon ‘Givemeakiss’ Phumsinin wrote, “Knowing the truth broke my heart, but I’ll do my best,” while teammate Jenniex asked fans for patience as events unfolded.

Naraphat’s club, Talon, moved swiftly following the ruling, announcing the immediate termination of her contract effective December 16.

Tokyogurl denies wrongdoing

Despite the ruling, Naraphat has publicly denied cheating.

In a statement shared on social media, she claimed she played the match herself without any unauthorized software or hardware. She said she panicked during the game, became unwell, and was taken to hospital afterward. Naraphat also downplayed her on-camera gesture, saying it was a joke aimed at a stressed teammate.

The SEA Games controversy adds to a growing list of recent cheating scandals across esports.

Earlier this 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 non-traditional esports have not been immune. In April 2025, streamer DrLupo was removed from a $100,000 PogChamps chess event after violating Chess.com’s fair play rules, a case that ended with a full confession.