Former head of world cycling Pat McQuaid is of the belief that disgraced ex-American cyclist Lance Armstrong has been harshly treated and very much made a scapegoat.
McQuaid, former president of world governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI), said that he had a certain sympathy with Armstrong, who was banned for life from all sport and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping.
The BBC reported McQuaid as saying that the American was very much made a scapegoat, adding that there was a witch-hunt after Armstrong, the BBC reported.
The Irishman, who was UCI president from 2006 to 2013 before being replaced by Brian Cookson, spoke after Armstrong slammed current incumbent Cookson for his handling of the Astana doping affair in an interview with the BBC.
When a United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) report published in October 2012 labelled Armstrong a serial cheat, McQuaid, who was still in his UCI role, said that the Texan had no place in cycling.
But McQuaid has now said that Armstrong was treated differently from other cyclists who were also doping. He explained that that is the way it was, adding that USADA wanted a big name.
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McQuaid claimed that 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.
McQuaid insisted that he can have a certain sympathy because he doesn't believe in sport, adding that people in those situations should be treated equally.