‘If I cheated, I would have won’: Thailand esports star over SEA Games disqualification after loss to Vietnam

Naraphat, known by her in-game nickname Tokyogurl, was disqualified on Tuesday after being caught using unauthorized software to cheat during an Arena of Valor match against Vietnam.

Facing a firestorm of criticism on social media, Tokyogurl, the marksman for Thailand Arena of Valor team at this SEA Games, responded to a fan’s online message to affirm her innocence.

“If I cheated, I would have won the match against Vietnam,” she wrote, arguing that using cheating software would have guaranteed a victory in the match that Thailand lost 0-3. She insisted that she competed by herself and denied using a cable connection to her phone to facilitate cheating.

Naraphat explained that she suffered a panic attack during the competition.

“Nobody understood what was happening. I panicked, fainted and was taken straight to the hospital. Only when I regained consciousness could I use my phone,” she added.

Addressing the controversy over the middle finger incident during the live broadcast, she clarified that the gesture was intended as a joke with a teammate during a tense moment, not directed at the cameras or the audience.

The captain speaks

However, this defense contradicts the account of Tokyogurl’s team captain, Jomkhon “Givemeakiss” Phumsinin. She recounted noticing suspicious behavior of cheating from Tokyogurl during the match against Vietnam.

According to Khaosodthe captain claimed Tokyogurl asked to borrow her competition device to check and install items, claiming her own phone lacked an internet connection.

This violated regulations requiring coach approval and signature for sharing competition equipment.

“She seemed nervous, and then when allowed onto the stage, she rushed forward first. This was the second unusual thing that made me suspicious,” Givemeakiss said.

Screenshots that exposed Tokyogurl’s cheating act during a SEA Games esports match against Vietnam on Dec. 15, 2025.

During the match, Tokyogurl reportedly avoided eye contact and was constantly tapping on her phone screen in a way that alerted a teammate who was sitting next to her.

“If you review the footage, you can spot the moment when we observed [Tokyogurl] and discussed with each other,” Givemeakiss added.

The match was paused for an investigation, during which the referee issued a warning regarding the unauthorized use of Discord, a communication app for gamers, on the device, which shocked the captain because it matched the previous suspicion.

After the match ended, Givemeakiss immediately reported the incident to the coach.

“My hands were shaking in panic. I was almost certain that this behavior was against the rules,” she recalled.

The team then made the substitution and continued to gather evidence for investigation.

Givemeakiss emphasized that the rest of the team were not involved in this wrongdoing. She also revealed that the team had suspected Tokyogurl of violation two days prior to the event, but lacked concrete evidence to act.

Tokyogurl is alleged to have installed software on her phone that automatically takes screenshots and sends them to a third party to interfere during competition.

When the team gave Tokyogurl their feedback, she reacted strongly and demanded an apology. Due to insufficient evidence, the team had to skip the suspicion and continue training, prioritizing the goal of winning gold.

“She was an older teammate, and we still considered each other friends, so we just had to put up with it,” Givemeakiss added.

The aftermath

Following the confirmation of serious technical violations, the Thailand Esports Federation (TESF) disqualified Tokyogurl and took a further step of withdrawing the entire women’s team from the tournament on Tuesday, even when they were leading Laos 1-0 in the loser’s bracket final.

TESF president Santi Lothong stated the withdrawal was necessary to maintain the host nation’s integrity.

“What happened exceeded our responsibilities. As the host country, we could not allow the tournament to continue under such circumstances,” Lothong said.

He praised the Laos team for their sportsmanship in not filing a complaint or withdrawing from the game.

“This is the spirit of the ASEAN community. We appreciate the respect of Laos for Thailand,” Lothong added.

He also sent words of encouragement to the innocent Thailand players who were affected by the decision, saying that they “have tried their best”.

Amidst the ongoing debates in the Thai esports community, Tokyogurl has deactivated all of her social media accounts.