The Journal of Sports Medicine and Therapy (JSMT) is committed to maintaining high editorial standards to ensure the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed research in sports medicine, physical therapy, and rehabilitation sciences. Editors play a vital role in upholding the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the journal.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of the JSMT are responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of published research. Editors must:

• Oversee the peer review process and ensure fair, unbiased, and timely evaluations of submitted manuscripts.
• Maintain confidentiality of submitted work and not disclose any details about a manuscript under review.
• Ensure adherence to the journal’s ethical standards, including the prevention of research misconduct.
• Make final publication decisions based on scientific merit and relevance to sports medicine and therapy.

Peer Review Process

Editors are responsible for managing a rigorous peer review process to uphold scientific quality. They must:

• Select qualified and independent reviewers with expertise in sports medicine, rehabilitation, or related fields.
• Ensure that reviews are conducted objectively and without any conflict of interest.
• Make final publication decisions based on reviewer feedback, scientific merit, and ethical considerations.
• Provide authors with constructive feedback to improve the quality of their manuscripts.

Conflicts of Interest

Editors must disclose and avoid conflicts of interest to ensure editorial independence. They should:

• Not handle manuscripts where they have a personal or professional conflict of interest.
• Refrain from using unpublished material from submitted manuscripts for their own research.
• Ensure that reviewers and authors disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Publication Ethics and Misconduct

The JSMT follows ethical publishing guidelines to prevent scientific misconduct. Editors must:

• Investigate cases of plagiarism, data fabrication, duplicate publication, and unethical research practices.
• Take appropriate action, such as rejecting manuscripts, issuing corrections, or retracting articles if misconduct is confirmed.
• Ensure that ethical guidelines, such as those from COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), are followed in all editorial decisions.

Human and Animal Research Ethics

For research involving human subjects, athletes, or clinical trials, editors must ensure that:

• Authors provide evidence of ethical approval from an institutional review board (IRB) or ethics committee.
• Informed consent has been obtained from all study participants or their legal guardians.
• The research complies with the Declaration of Helsinki or other relevant ethical guidelines.

For studies involving animals, editors must ensure that authors follow ethical research guidelines and provide approval from appropriate institutional committees.

Manuscript Decision and Communication

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

• Base decisions on the manuscript’s scientific validity, originality, and relevance to the field of sports medicine.
• Clearly communicate acceptance, revision, or rejection decisions to authors along with reviewer comments.
• Ensure that decisions are free from bias and made in the best interest of the journal and scientific community.

Transparency and Accountability

Editors should uphold transparency in editorial processes and be accountable for the content published in the journal. They must:

• Ensure that journal policies and submission guidelines are publicly available and consistently applied.
• Address ethical concerns or complaints related to published articles or editorial decisions.
• Promote diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunities in publishing.

Corrections and Retractions

If significant errors or ethical concerns arise after publication, editors must:

• Facilitate the publication of corrections or errata when necessary.
• Retract articles in cases of proven misconduct, plagiarism, or unreliable findings.
• Provide clear justifications for retractions to maintain scientific integrity.

Editorial Independence

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

• Decisions are not influenced by external pressures, including financial or political interests.
• Editorial policies and standards remain unbiased and focused on academic excellence.
• Authors and reviewers are treated fairly, with respect and professionalism.

Submission Declaration

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

• Adhere to ethical publishing guidelines and best editorial practices.
• Ensure fair and impartial peer review processes.
• Maintain confidentiality and uphold the integrity of scientific publishing.

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