Former UCI president Pat McQuaid says the treatment of Lance Armstrong has been overly harsh.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, the Irishman, who headed the UCI between 2006 and 2013, described the “witch hunt after Armstrong” in the lead up to his eventual ban.

>> Save up to 31% with a magazine subscription. Enjoy the luxury of home delivery and never miss an issue <<

>>> Pat McQuaid: ‘I’m still waiting to see a change’



When USADA published their report into the US Postal Service team’s institutionalised doping, McQuaid said Armstrong had “no place in cycling” as he stripped him of his seven Tour de France titles.

But now McQuaid believes it is time to reduce Armstrong’s ban having seen the Texan treated differently to other riders caught doping in the same era.

“USADA wanted a big name,” he said. “They weren’t really interested in the smaller riders and also they made deals with the smaller riders in order to get the information they needed on the big guys.

“I can have a certain sympathy because I don’t think in sport, people in those situations, I think they should be treated equally.”