A professional female esports player from Thailand faced serious consequences after breaking the rules during a major tournament. The player, known by her gaming name Tokyogurl, was disqualified from the 33rd SEA Games. This happened after officials caught her cheating right in the middle of a live match. It was a shocking moment for the audience watching the event.

The incident took place on December 15 during the Arena of Valor competition. The Thai women’s team was playing against Vietnam in the upper bracket final. Unfortunately for them, the match ended in a heavy defeat with a score of 0-3. Even with the unfair advantage, the team could not secure a win.

Shortly after the match ended, the Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) made a big announcement. They confirmed that the player, whose real name is Warasin Naraphat, was disqualified. The federation stated that she had broken strict competition rules. The violation was serious enough to remove her from the event immediately.

The specific rule she broke was part of the Esports Technical Manual. This rule strictly forbids the use of any unauthorized third-party software. It also bans the use of modified equipment during official matches. Using such tools gives a player an unfair advantage over their opponents.

Viewers watching the broadcast at home were the first to notice something was wrong. Many people online started talking about suspicious behavior they saw on screen. Reports from Thai news outlets later mentioned that the player made an offensive hand gesture on camera. This happened just before she was substituted out of the game against Vietnam.

Officials at the SEA Games launched an investigation right away. Naraphat played the role of marksman for her team. After looking into the matter, officials found she had committed a serious technical violation. As a result, she received the maximum penalty for the tournament: disqualification.

The federation did not confirm exactly which software was used. However, reports from the investigation suggest that a program called TeamViewer might have been involved. This is a program that allows someone to control a computer from a distance. There are suspicions that another person may have been playing the game for Tokyogurl remotely.

Thailand’s withdrawal from the tournament went beyond just one player. The team was actually leading in their next match against Laos. Despite having a chance to reach the gold medal match, the federation decided to pull the entire women’s team out of the competition.

The Thailand Esports Federation released a statement about the decision. They said that fair play is the most important thing in sports. They accepted the organizing committee’s decision to disqualify the player. The federation also promised to do an internal investigation to stop this from happening again.

Before the official ruling was made, teammates posted cryptic messages on social media. These posts fueled speculation that something was wrong. One teammate wrote that knowing the truth broke their heart, but they would do their best. Another teammate asked fans for patience while the situation unfolded.

The club that Naraphat played for, Talon, acted quickly after the ruling. They announced that they were ending her contract immediately. The termination was effective starting December 16, the same day as the announcement.

Tokyogurl denies wrongdoing

Despite the ruling from the officials, Naraphat has publicly stated that she did not cheat. In a statement she shared on social media, she claimed she played the match herself. She insisted that she did not use any unauthorized software or hardware during the game.

She explained that she panicked during the game and felt unwell. She said she was taken to the hospital after the match ended. Regarding the hand gesture she made on camera, she downplayed it. She claimed it was just a joke aimed at a teammate who was feeling stressed.

This controversy at the SEA Games is part of a growing list of cheating scandals in esports. It seems that cheating is becoming a problem in the competitive gaming world. Tournament organizers are working hard to catch those who break the rules.

Earlier in the year, a professional Counter-Strike 2 player named Joel Holmlund received a permanent ban. Cheats were found installed on his computer during a tournament. The situation was made worse because he also threatened officials from the Esports Integrity Commission.

Even games that are not traditional video games have seen cheating. In April 2025, a popular streamer named DrLupo was removed from a chess tournament. The event had a prize pool of $100,000. He was kicked out for violating the fair play rules on Chess.com. He eventually made a full confession regarding his actions.