`TRUE SPORTS CONFESSIONS'

That could be the title of the inquiry into drug use in Canadian amateur sports. One weight lifter after another has appeared before Justice Charles Dubin of Ontario's Supreme Court, confessing to drug use to boost performance. ``If you wanted to be in the medal class, you had to use them,'' Jacques Demers of St.-Hubert, Quebec, told the Dubin inquiry when it met in Montreal earlier this month. He argued that use of anabolic steroids was necessary to compete with East European athletes.

After testing positive for steroids, three Canadian weight lifters were tossed off the Olympic team the day before they were scheduled to fly to Seoul for the Games last September.

Though the use of these drugs is banned by the International Olympic Committee and various sports federations, it is not illegal in Canada.

Weight lifting coach Andrzej Kulesza admitted he knew Demers was using steroids, but felt he should be allowed to compete anyway.

Next week, some track and field athletes are expected to join the ``True Sports Confessions'' before the inquiry.