Thailand esports team disqualified after cheating scandal

A major controversy has overshadowed the esports competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after Thailand’s women’s Arena of Valor (AoV) team was forced out of the tournament following a cheating violation by one of its players.

Thai esports athlete Naphat “Tokyogurl” Warasin, who was representing Thailand in the women’s AoV event, was disqualified from the SEA Games after being found to have used unauthorized third-party software during a match against Vietnam, officials confirmed.

The violation occurred on December 15, 2025, when Thailand suffered a 0–3 loss to Vietnam in the Winner Bracket Final. Suspicion of irregular activity around Warasin’s gameplay prompted a technical review by the SEA Games esports competition officials.

Following a prompt investigation, organizers concluded that Warasin had breached Rule 9.4.3 of the esports technical handbook, which strictly prohibits the use of unauthorized software or hardware modifications during competition. As a result, she was immediately expelled from the games.

In addition to the disqualification, the Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) accepted the ruling and pledged to uphold fair play and strengthen internal oversight to prevent similar incidents in the future. 

TESF confirmed compliance with the technical committee’s decision and emphasized the importance of competitive integrity.

The fallout from the cheating breach was swift after Warasin’s professional club, TALON, terminated her contract effective December 16, 2025, and she faces bans from future competitions.

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Huge controversy in SEA Games Esports

a Female player from Host Country Thailand was DQed from Women’s @arenaofvalor after caught using a third party app that allows another player to played on someone’s behalf

TLDR literally Teamviewing live on SEA Games stage pic.twitter.com/pbxdpwpkjn

— hesketh2 (@subzidite2) December 16, 2025

The SEA Games organizers also confirmed her exclusion from any further participation in the event.

Shortly after the disciplinary action, the entire Thai women’s AoV team withdrew from the SEA Games competition, even as they were competing in the loser’s bracket final against Laos.

Tournament officials said the team’s withdrawal was a direct consequence of the rule violation.

The incident also drew attention due to unsportsmanlike conduct during the live broadcast. Footage circulated showing Warasin making an obscene gesture toward the camera, further fueling public criticism and discussion within the region’s esports community.

Some teammates expressed heartbreak over the outcome, emphasizing the effort put into preparation and competition, while prominent figures in the RoV scene publicly questioned why such actions occurred at the national team level, given the strong tradition of competitive integrity expected from representing the country.

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