BANGKOK — A Thai esports player has admitted he played under another person’s account during the women’s Arena of Valor (RoV) competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, leading to the disqualification of a national team athlete.
The player, known as “Cheerio,” posted a statement on TikTok confirming that he acted as a stand-in for “Tokyogurl” a member of Thailand’s women’s RoV team who competed in the Dark Slayer Lane position.
“I admit that I did it,” Cheerio said in his statement. “I deeply regret my actions and sincerely apologize to society, the Thai people and everyone affected.”
He said he accepts responsibility for the consequences and criticism, apologized to the Thailand Esports Federation, the women’s teams who lost opportunities because of the incident, tournament organizers and fans, and said the incident would serve as an important life lesson.
“I promise that I will never again act in a way that causes harm or brings embarrassment to the country,” he said, adding that he plans to reflect on his actions and improve himself.
Cheerio said he delayed speaking publicly because the backlash spread rapidly and he was unsure how to respond, but said he intends to livestream later to apologize and explain further.
Cheerio is a semi-professional RoV player who previously competed as a carry — a key damage-dealing role — for teams including Bangkok ESC in the Thailand Esports Pro League 2025, and is known among fans for his strong in-game performance.
The incident has sparked public criticism and renewed calls for stricter identity verification and fair-play enforcement in Thai esports competitions.
