Call for probe into SEA Games e-sports selection after cheating case

The Collegiate E-Sports and Youth Development Association (CEYDA) submitted a petition to the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) on Friday, calling for an investigation into the organisation of the e-sports competition at the recently concluded 33rd SEA Games, which was marred by a cheating scandal involving a member of the Thai women’s Arena of Valor (RoV) team.

The e-sports competition at the Thai-hosted Games earlier this month came under public scrutiny following the controversial withdrawal of the Thai women’s RoV team after one of its members was expelled for using unauthorised third-party software.

Identifying flaws in the national team selection trial conducted by the Thailand E-Sports Federation (TESF), CEYDA president Tanon Tanakornprapa said the incident could have been avoided had the trial been organised to proper standards.

“The selection was held offline, meaning athletes had to compete in person at a designated venue. However, there were four major shortcomings in the organisation of the trial.

“Firstly, there were no dedicated mobile phones provided by the organisers to ensure fairness. Secondly, athletes were allowed to use their own game IDs instead of new IDs created specifically for the trial.

“Thirdly, instead of using a specific server to host the competition, the organisers used a general server. Lastly, there was no screen-recording system.

“All of these are fundamental requirements for organising an e-sports competition to ensure the results are conclusive. However, they were all absent from the trial to select those who would represent the country on the international stage.

“The TESF, as the organiser of the trial, needs to explain to the public why the competition was held below standard. I am certain that if the selection had met the standards, Tokyogurl (the athlete in question) would not have made the cut and there would have been no cheating,” said the CEYDA president.

Saying the scandal had damaged the country’s reputation, Tanon stressed the need to ensure those responsible are held accountable, and also called on the TESF to clarify the matter.

“Today, I lodged a petition with the SAT, as the governing body, to launch an inquiry since the incident harmed the country’s credibility.

“I would like everyone to keep an eye on the matter, because what happened seriously affected Thailand’s image. Those responsible must face consequences, and they need to explain why the organisation fell below standard.

“They cannot cite financial constraints, since documents in my hand clearly show that a budget request for equipment worth 4.9 million baht from overseas was approved this year. Now, it is inevitable that they answer these questions — and we will not let this pass.”