Washington, Nov 15 (Xinhua) Alcohol is allowed for billiards players and chess mavens can use beta-blockers, but substances that work the same as masking agents are forbidden in 2007.

These are among the changes adopted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to its 2007 prohibition list summarised in a release by the US Anti-Doping Agency Tuesday.

While the cue-stick crew can drink all they like and the checkmates can keep their cool, WADA extended its reach by adding a term to masking agent that outlaws "other substances with similar biological effect".

That means that if a substance serves the same masking purpose as a banned substance, it is also banned even if not on the banned list.

Most sport supporters would need a medical dictionary to figure out the bulk of the changes such as salbutamol, salmeterol, terbutaline and formoterol being allowed by inhalation with a therapeutic use filing.

Several stimulants were added to the 2007 ban list, including benzylpiperazine, 4-phenylpiracetam (carphedon) and tuaminoheptane.