Thai Women’s ROV Team Pulls Out of SEA Games Amid Cheating Case

BANGKOK — Thailand has withdrawn its women’s Arena of Valor esports team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after one player was expelled for cheating, a move that stunned teammates and cast a shadow over the host nation’s competition.

The Thailand Esports Federation said the women’s national ROV team pulled out of the tournament following the disqualification of player Naphat Warasin, known by the gaming name “Tokyogurl,” who was found to have violated competition rules during a match on December 15.

In a statement, the federation said Warasin was expelled after officials determined she used unauthorized third-party software or modified hardware, breaching Item 9.4.3 of the Esports Technical Handbook.

Joebert Lopez Yu, esports technical delegate for the SEA Games, notified the Thailand National Olympic Committee that conclusive evidence was found during the women’s team match between Thailand and Vietnam in the winners’ final.

“A Thai athlete committed an offence under Item 9.4.3 … during Game 1 of the match,” Yu wrote. “The decision is final.”

CCTV footage shows Naphat Warasin, known by the gaming name “Tokyogurl” (second from left), competing with her teammates during a women’s Arena of Valor match on Dec. 15, 2025, when officials cited suspicious behavior.

Thailand was scheduled to face Laos next but withdrew despite hosting the Games.

Thailand Esports Federation President Santi Lohtong said the decision was made to uphold sporting integrity.

“We respect the rules, sportsmanship and the spirit of sport,” Santi said on Dec. 16. “As the host country, we cannot allow the competition to continue under these circumstances.”

He said the situation was particularly difficult given Thailand’s dual role as host and organizer, adding that he wanted to encourage other Thai athletes still competing at the Games.

Team members later posted messages and gave interviews expressing devastation over the withdrawal, saying they were unaware of the alleged misconduct and felt heartbroken after training together for months.

Santi Lohtong, President of the Asian Esports Federation and Thailand Esports Federation, announces Thailand’s women’s ROV team withdrawal from the 33rd SEA Games, Dec.16, 2025.

Warasin denied cheating in a social media post, saying she suffered a panic attack during the match and was taken to hospital. She said connecting a cable to her phone could not be used to cheat and insisted she played without assistance.

The team’s coach, known as Coach Pom, issued a public apology, saying the incident had deeply affected the athletes and fans. He said concerns about suspicious behavior were raised internally before the tournament but no clear evidence was available at the time.

“To avoid conflict within the team ahead of an important competition, we chose to trust the explanation given,” he said, adding that the decision’s consequences now rested with him.

Coach Pom said he and the remaining five players had no knowledge of or involvement in the actions that led to the expulsion and would never risk the reputation or honor of the national team.

The esports competition is part of the 33rd SEA Games, which Thailand is hosting this year.

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