Organizers & TESF
- The conduct breached item 9.4.3 of the Esports Technical Handbook.
- TESF accepted the decision, withdrew the women's team and stressed that "fair play is the supreme value".
SEA GAMES 33 / ARENA OF VALOR
The Arena of Valor cheating case at SEA Games 33
During Thailand's women's Arena of Valor match against Vietnam on 15 December 2025, player Naphat "Tokyogurl" Warasin was found to have let another person log into her competition account and play for her. She was expelled, Thailand's women's team withdrew, Garena banned her, and on 17 March 2026 a Thai court sentenced both her and the stand-in player.
Resolved Started Updated
At a glance
- Status
- First-instance verdict issued
- Sporting sanctions
- Expelled from SEA Games; Garena lifetime ban
- Criminal sentence
- 3 months + THB 24,000; appeal pending
Timeline
- Context
Competition account details shared
According to case details published later, Naphat shared her competition account credentials with Kong "Cheerio" Sutprom, who had been hired to help with her social media.
- Events
Thailand vs Vietnam: two devices on one account
During the match against Vietnam at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, referees paused play and warned the Thai team about unauthorised Discord use on competition devices. Organizers detected Naphat's account logged in on two devices at once. Thailand lost (0–3 per VnExpress).
- Decisions
Expulsion and withdrawal of Thailand's women's team
Organizers expelled Naphat under item 9.4.3 of the Esports Technical Handbook (unauthorised third-party software). The Thailand E-Sports Federation (TESF) accepted the decision and withdrew its whole women's team. Talon ended her contract, and Garena, the game's publisher in Thailand, banned her from competition.
- Notices
Reactions in Thailand
Naphat initially denied cheating, saying she was nervous and would have won had she cheated. TESF president Santi Lothong said "cheating and still losing is shameful". Vietnam went on to win gold, beating Laos 4–0.
- Notices
The stand-in player confesses
Kong Sutprom publicly admitted his involvement and apologised for bringing shame on Thailand.
- Decisions
Arrest and charges
Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) arrested both on 4 February; on 6 February charges of colluding to obtain and disclose restricted computer-access credentials were filed at Pathumwan Kwaeng Court.
- Decisions
Sentencing
Both pleaded guilty. The court imposed three months' confinement (reduced from six for cooperation) and a THB 24,000 fine. Both were released on bail pending appeal.
Where each side stands
Naphat "Tokyogurl"
- Initially denied it, citing nerves.
- Later pleaded guilty in court alongside the stand-in player.
Kong "Cheerio" Sutprom
- Admitted logging in and playing on 2 January 2026.
- Publicly apologised for embarrassing Thailand.
Open questions
- The outcome of the appeal.
- The coaching staff's responsibility — per Kênh 14, the coach said he "did not know".
- How device checks at multi-sport games will change.
Scamany compiles public sources and presents each side next to the others; nothing here is a finding by Scamany.
Impact
Thai esports
One of the biggest scandals in Thai esports, forcing the whole women's team out and sparking debate about player supervision.
Legal precedent
A rare case of esports cheating ending in a criminal sentence, showing that sharing competition accounts can breach computer-crime law.
Vietnam
Vietnam's women's team won the match in question and took gold; the case drew huge attention in Vietnam.
People
Naphat "Tokyogurl" Warasin
Thai women's Arena of Valor player (marksman)
Expelled from SEA Games 33, banned by Garena and sentenced on 17 March 2026.
Scamany does not publish a personal photo.
Kong "Cheerio" Sutprom
Stand-in player
Confessed on 2 January 2026; sentenced alongside Naphat.
Đỗ Kỳ Duyên (Celine)
Vietnam women's Arena of Valor player
Member of the Vietnamese team — Thailand's opponent in the match — which went on to win gold.
Sources
- Arena of Valor SEA Games cheating scandal Wikipedia · 2026
- Thai esports player expelled from SEA Games (Vietnamese) VnExpress · December 16, 2025
- Thailand sues AoV player for SEA Games cheating (Vietnamese) Tuổi Trẻ Cười · December 20, 2025
- Thai captain recalls Tokyogurl's unusual behaviour (Vietnamese) Dân trí · December 17, 2025
- Coach says he "did not know" (Vietnamese) Kênh 14 · December 18, 2025