Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has insisted that his record on diversity issues has always been "principled and persistent."
He was commenting on suggestions that Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur is considering a race discrimination employment case against the force.
Sir Ian said he had not received any notification from Mr Ghaffur and had asked to speak to him shortly.
Mr Ghaffur has reportedly complained of being undermined by the Met.
Olympics role
Speaking at the Metropolitan Police Authority on Thursday, Sir Ian said he was aware that Mr Ghaffur had concerns over recent decisions "about his role in Olympic preparations".
But he said he had received no personal nor official notice of an employment tribunal claim, and would be "enormously saddened by any such event".
He dismissed as "complete nonsense" any suggestion that he would not speak to Mr Ghaffur.
"However, I would not accept any allegations from any party, including those I have named, that any concerns of theirs can be attributed to racial motivation from this authority or me or my senior colleagues.
"I believe I have a long, honourable and occasionally blood-stained record on the championing of diversity - not perfect but always principled and persistent."
He strongly stressed his own senority, saying: "Every member of the Met works to my direction and must meet my reasonable requirements.
"Any other position is impossible. If that does not occur I will deal with the matter robustly and quickly."
Mr Ghaffur has not commented publicly on the matter, but has reportedly employed a senior barrister to draw up legal papers and is considering whether to formally commence an employment tribunal.
Reservations
The BBC understands there are four main issues that have prompted Mr Ghaffur - who is in charge of planning security at the London 2012 Olympics - to take action.
These are reported to include:
• A failure to renew his five-year contract - due to end in March 2009 - when other officers of a similar level have had theirs renewed.
• Being sidelined by Commissioner Sir Ian Blair who has allegedly excluded him from key Olympic security planning meetings.
• That he was allegedly browbeaten to keep quiet about his reservations over new powers to detain terror suspects for 42 days.
• That his relationship with Sir Ian has broken down.
It is understood that Mr Ghaffur believes these issues have undermined his role in preparing for the Olympics.
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