Story highlights Ramzan Kadryov has been a leader in Chechnya for years

He was interviewed in Grozny by an HBO sports program

(CNN) Chechnya's leader sharply derided gays during a TV interview, asserting that there are none in his Russian republic and saying they should be removed from the region if there are.

Ramzan Kadyrov made his remarks on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" amid allegations of a brutal crackdown on gay men in the North Caucasus region.

"This is nonsense," Kadyrov said.

"We don't have such people here. We don't have any gays. If there are any, take them to Canada. Praise be to God. Take them far away from us. To purify our blood, if there are any here, take them."

Kadyrov, who also spoke about his aim of creating a world-class professional mixed martial arts fight club, vociferously attacked claims of repression.