The Journal of Sports Medicine and Therapy (JSMT) is dedicated to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed research in sports medicine, rehabilitation, injury prevention, and athletic performance. Editors play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity, transparency, and scientific credibility of the journal.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of the JSMT are responsible for upholding the quality, fairness, and ethical standards of published research. Their key responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the peer review process to ensure fair, unbiased, and timely evaluation of manuscripts.
• Maintaining confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and safeguarding the integrity of the review process.
• Ensuring adherence to the highest ethical standards in sports medicine research and publishing.
• Making independent editorial decisions based on scientific merit, clinical relevance, and adherence to journal guidelines.

Peer Review Process

Editors manage a rigorous peer review process to ensure the publication of high-quality scientific research. They must:

• Select expert and independent reviewers with relevant expertise in sports medicine, physical therapy, and related fields.
• Ensure that peer reviews are conducted fairly, objectively, and without conflicts of interest.
• Base final publication decisions on reviewer feedback, manuscript quality, and adherence to ethical standards.
• Provide authors with constructive feedback to improve the clarity, validity, and impact of their research.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must disclose and manage conflicts of interest to maintain editorial integrity. They should:

• Not handle manuscripts where they have a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest.
• Refrain from using unpublished data or findings from submitted manuscripts for personal research.
• Ensure that both reviewers and authors disclose any potential conflicts of interest before manuscript evaluation.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct

The JSMT adheres to ethical publishing practices to prevent scientific misconduct. Editors must:

• Investigate cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, and unethical research practices.
• Take appropriate actions such as rejecting manuscripts, issuing corrections, or retracting articles in cases of confirmed misconduct.
• Ensure that all published work complies with ethical guidelines recommended by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics).

Ethical Considerations in Sports Medicine Research

For research involving human subjects, clinical interventions, or athletic performance studies, editors must ensure that:

• Authors obtain informed consent from participants or their legal representatives before conducting research.
• Research studies comply with ethical guidelines for human trials, including approval from relevant institutional review boards.
• Studies involving athletes, rehabilitation techniques, or sports injuries follow established medical and ethical standards.
• Patient and athlete confidentiality is maintained, with no identifiable information disclosed unless permitted.

Failure to comply with these ethical standards may result in manuscript rejection.

Manuscript Decision and Communication

Editors should ensure a fair and timely decision-making process regarding manuscript acceptance or rejection. They must:

• Base decisions on the manuscript’s scientific validity, originality, and clinical relevance.
• Clearly communicate acceptance, revision, or rejection decisions to authors with constructive reviewer feedback.
• Ensure that editorial decisions are made transparently, free from bias, and in the best interest of advancing sports medicine research.

Transparency and Accountability

Editors must uphold transparency in the editorial process and be accountable for all published content. They must:

• Ensure that the journal’s editorial policies, submission guidelines, and ethical standards are publicly available.
• Address ethical concerns or complaints related to published articles or editorial decisions.
• Promote diversity, inclusivity, and equitable publishing practices in the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation.

Corrections and Retractions

In cases of significant errors or ethical concerns, editors must:

• Facilitate the publication of corrections, errata, or clarifications when necessary.
• Retract articles in cases of confirmed research misconduct, data manipulation, or ethical violations.
• Ensure that retractions and corrections are issued transparently, with clear justifications for their necessity.

Editorial Independence

The editorial team of JSMT must maintain editorial independence and ensure that:

• Editorial decisions are not influenced by financial, institutional, or political pressures.
• Editorial policies and scientific standards are consistently applied to maintain credibility and excellence.
• Authors, reviewers, and editorial board members are treated fairly and with professionalism.

Submission Declaration

By serving as an editor for the JSMT, individuals agree to:

• Adhere to ethical publishing guidelines and best editorial practices.
• Ensure a fair, unbiased, and transparent peer review process.
• Maintain confidentiality and uphold the integrity of scientific publishing in sports medicine research.

For any ethical concerns or clarifications regarding editorial responsibilities, editors are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office.