It started as a shocking story from the world of competitive gaming. Weeks after Thailand’s women’s Arena of Valor team suddenly pulled out of the SEA Games, the full truth has finally come to light. What began as a simple disqualification has turned into a major scandal involving a couple and a serious breach of trust.
During the 33rd SEA Games, the Thailand women’s team faced Vietnam in the Arena of Valor competition. The match ended in a 0-3 loss for Thailand. Shortly after, officials disqualified one of the team’s key players, Warasin Naraphat, who goes by the online name Tokyogurl. The reason was a violation of competition rules. According to the Esports Technical Manual, players are strictly forbidden from using unauthorized software, modified equipment, or getting help from third parties during matches. An investigation confirmed the breach, and Tokyogurl received the tournament’s maximum penalty: disqualification.
The situation took an unexpected turn the very next day. Even though Thailand had beaten Laos 1-0 in the lower bracket final and still had a chance to reach the gold medal match, the Thailand Esports Federation made the surprising decision to withdraw the entire women’s team from the tournament. At the time, Tokyogurl denied any wrongdoing. She claimed she played the match herself, explaining that she panicked mid-game, felt unwell, and was taken to the hospital.
However, this story fell apart on January 2. The truth emerged when her boyfriend, a fellow esports player named Cheerio, posted a message on TikTok. In the video, he confessed that he was the one who actually played the match in her place. He described his decision as selfish and accepted full responsibility for the incident. He also apologized to the fans, the tournament officials, and his girlfriend’s teammates who lost their chance to compete because of his actions.
In his confession, Cheerio stated, “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.” He explained that the massive public backlash left him unsure of how to respond, which caused him to stay silent for more than two weeks after the match took place. He added, “I didn’t intend for things to escalate to this point and cause disappointment to many people. I humbly accept all criticism and the consequences that follow, without any excuses.”
The confession was particularly damaging because Cheerio was a highly respected figure in the Thai esports community before the incident. His admission finally forced Tokyogurl to acknowledge her role in the deception. The morning after his video went public, she posted a brief apology on Facebook, writing simply: “I’m sorry.”
The consequences for both players were severe and immediate. The game’s publisher, Garena, banned Tokyogurl from all Arena of Valor tournaments starting December 16, 2025. Her professional club, TALON, terminated her contract right away. Additionally, RoV Esports organizers issued a lifetime ban against her. These punishments mark one of the most serious scandals in the history of Thai esports.
Meanwhile, Santi Lothong, the 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. He has vowed to pursue the case to the fullest extent possible. This incident is just the latest in a series of cheating controversies that have rocked the esports world. Last year, a CS2 professional player named Joel ‘joel’ Holmlund received a permanent ban after cheats were found on his computer, a situation that was made worse by threats he made toward the Esports Integrity Commission. Even events outside of traditional esports have been affected. In April 2025, popular streamer DrLupo was dropped from a $100,000 PogChamps chess tournament after violating Chess.com’s fair play rules, a controversy that also ended with a full admission of guilt.
