From esports star to disgraced figure: how Tokyogurl’s SEA Games cheating scandal ended her career
Once celebrated as one of Thailand’s top esports players, Warasin "Tokyogurl" Naraphat saw her reputation unravel after being disqualified from the 33rd SEA Games over a cheating scandal.
Naraphat, known by her in-game nickname Tokyogurl, was found to have violated the Esports Technical Manual, which strictly prohibits the use of unauthorized third-party software or any modification of competition equipment. The breach occurred during Thailand’s Arena of Valor (RoV) match against Vietnam on Tuesday, amid growing online suspicion following Thailand’s 0–3 defeat a day earlier.
Thailand esports player Naraphat Warasin, known as "Tokyogurl". Photo courtesy by Tiktok/@tokyogurlz
Tokyogurl had long been a prominent name in Thailand’s RoV community. Team captain Jormkon Pumseenil, known as "Givemeakiss," said she was widely regarded as one of the country’s strongest female marksman and jungle players. Her livestreams and TikTok videos regularly showcased high-level gameplay, leading to her inclusion in the national squad without a formal tryout.
Head coach Jakraphon "Pom" and several teammates said Tokyogurl appeared to be the strongest player on the roster during preseason practice matches. However, they noted that she rarely attended in-person training sessions and mostly played with the team online.
Tokyogurl’s reputation was further reinforced by ChickenV, a well-known Thai Arena of Valor streamer who had previously helped introduce her to a wider audience.
"I played solo matches against her and lost badly," ChickenV said. "But in hindsight, there were warning signs. She always had someone beside her when playing online. When I asked her to play in person, she often made excuses. Looking back at her old videos, none showed her hands or the screen, only her forehead."
In Thailand, Arena of Valor, known locally as RoV, has grown far beyond gaming into a mainstream cultural phenomenon. Since its launch in 2016, it has become the country’s most popular mobile game, with a professional league rivaling traditional sports in viewership. The Thai government officially recognizes RoV as a professional sport, and Thai teams frequently win international titles, according to The Nation.
How the cheating came to light
The women’s RoV competition at SEA Games 33 featured four teams in a round-robin format. Thailand opened the tournament on Monday with wins over Laos and Timor Leste before losing to Vietnam.
According to teammates speaking on a talk show, Tokyogurl’s on-stage performance immediately raised concerns. Instead of her usual dominant playstyle, she recorded zero or one kill per match and dealt minimal damage. She attributed her struggles to stage fright and camera pressure, despite later telling teammates backstage that she had regained confidence and would "carry the team."
"This wasn’t just a bad day," Givemeakiss said. "Game sense and mechanical skill don’t disappear overnight. This was a difference in level, not just poor performance."
Before the match against Vietnam, tournament organizers provided five official competition devices to each team. Tokyogurl asked to take one phone to a private area to "set it up," but coach Pom intervened, saying this violated competition rules.
"I told her that if she needed to adjust anything, she should use her personal device," Pom said, noting that character settings are saved in-game and synced through account logins.
Suspicion deepened when Tokyogurl arrived early at the competition area and was repeatedly seen exiting the game screen — an action prohibited during official matches. Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) president Santi Lothong said referees observed her switching screens discreetly and covering the phone with paper to block visibility.
"When officials asked her to hand over the device for inspection, she refused," Lothong said. Supervisors later discovered that Discord was installed on the phone, logged into two accounts, with screen-sharing enabled.
This setup would have allowed someone outside the venue to view the game in real time and potentially provide remote assistance.
Despite the evidence, Tokyogurl denied any wrongdoing. She claimed the configuration belonged to a previous user, Givemeakiss said, though she added that she personally saw Tokyogurl log into the device herself.
"At that moment, I knew everything was over," the team captain said.
On Wednesday, authorities announced disciplinary action. Game publisher Garena imposed an immediate ban on Tokyogurl from all Arena of Valor competitions, while her professional team, Talon Esports, terminated her contract. The Arena of Valor Esports organizing committee also issued a lifetime ban (https://e.vnexpress.net/news/sports/other-sports/thai-esports-star-banned-for-life-after-cheating-scandal-at-sea-games-4995387.html).
"If I cheated, I would have won the match," she wrote.
"Cheating and still losing is shameful," Lothong responded.
