Thai esports player admits he played SEA Games match under Tokyogurl’s name

The incident involved Thai Arena of Valor player Wasarin Naraphat, known online as Tokyogurl, during Thailand’s 0–3 loss to Vietnam on Dec. 15, 2025. Investigators later determined that unauthorized third-party software had been used to allow another person to log in and play remotely in her place, leading to Tokyogurl’s disqualification from the Games.

On the evening of Jan. 2, Thai esports player Cheerio, also known as Kong, posted a video on TikTok admitting he was the one who played in her stead. He said he deeply regretted his actions, accepted all criticism and consequences, and apologized to the public, Thai esports officials and the women players who lost their chance to compete.

Cheerio described his decision as selfish and said it had damaged Thailand’s reputation in esports. His confession came 18 days after the match, with the player saying the scale of public backlash initially left him unsure how to respond.

The following morning, Tokyogurl posted a brief apology on her personal Facebook page, writing simply, "I’m sorry."

Thai esports officials said irregular behavior was detected even before the match began, including unusual software installation activity on the competition device. Referees later found evidence of two accounts being logged into the same application, with all data preserved as proof.

Only Tokyogurl received individual disciplinary action, officials said other team members were cleared of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, the entire Thai women’s Arena of Valor team chose to withdraw from SEA Games to uphold collective responsibility and national honor.

The fallout has been severe. Game publisher Garena banned Tokyogurl from all Arena of Valor tournaments starting Dec. 16, 2025. Her club, TALON, terminated her contract immediately, and RoV Esports organizers imposed a lifetime ban, marking one of the most serious scandals in the history of Thai esports.