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A national training provider that claimed to be a "global leader in innovative sports education" has been shut down and deregistered as a result of serious probity concerns and widespread anger from former students.

Agoge Education Australia's status as a Registered Training Organisation was cancelled on 31st October after closing campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Brisbane in June.

The company is closely linked to sports training academy FC11, which billed itself as "Australia’s leading sports education provider”, but collapsed in February with more than $5 million in debts.

As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, dozens of students at Agoge have been left stranded and unable to complete the one-year diploma, with some leaving high school to pursue careers as professional athletes or administrators.

An investigation by the Australian Quality Skills Authority found "Agoge’s executive officers and/or high managerial agents failed to meet the fit and proper person requirements".

The company was also found in breach of government guidelines for the sector.

Agoge's Directors Michael Katsaris and Miltiadis Sakkos were also the owners of FC11, which collapsed with massive debts and just $4,945 in the bank. The company and its directors are the subject of an ongoing investigation by liquidator Cor Cordis.

However, Katsaris rejected claims that FC11 or Agoge had breached their fiduciary duties. He insisted they had provided a "blue-ribbon course" with an 80% completion rate - well above the average for other registered training organisations.

He told the Sydney Morning Herald “we always acted honestly when it came to our students and we did everything we could to give them a positive experience.

"There are so many crooks in the industry and we were one of the only ones trying to do the right thing.''

After FC11 was put into liquidation in May, former students complained they had been saddled with debts of more than $25,000 for diplomas that were "not worth the paper they were printed on''.

FC11, which claimed to be “Australia’s leading sports education provider”, had promoted its programs through endorsements from teams including the Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers and Penrith Panthers and with state sporting organisations including Football NSW, Football Federation Victoria and NSW Cricket.

Some of those clubs and SSOs are now owed significant debts by FC11.

Main image: FC11 training course.

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