The Journal of Sports Medicine and Therapy (JSMT) is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in sports medicine research and publishing. Editors play a vital role in ensuring the integrity, fairness, and transparency of the editorial process, thereby maintaining the journal’s credibility and scientific excellence.

Ethics for Editors

1. Editorial Integrity and Independence

Editors must ensure that all manuscripts are evaluated based on their scientific merit, originality, and contribution to sports medicine and therapy, without any bias or external influence.

• Impartiality: Editorial decisions should be objective and free from personal, institutional, or financial conflicts.
• Transparency: Editorial policies, peer review criteria, and decision-making processes must be clearly communicated to authors and reviewers.
• Freedom from External Influence: Editors must not allow financial, commercial, or political factors to affect publication decisions.

2. Confidentiality and Data Protection

Editors must protect the confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and maintain the integrity of the review process.

• Manuscript Confidentiality: Editors must not disclose details of a submitted manuscript to anyone other than those involved in the review and publication process.
• Reviewer Anonymity: If the journal follows a double-blind peer review process, editors must ensure that author and reviewer identities remain confidential.
• Data Security: Editors must prevent unauthorized use of unpublished research findings for personal or professional gain.

3. Fair and Rigorous Peer Review

Editors are responsible for ensuring a thorough, fair, and unbiased peer review process.

• Reviewer Selection: Editors must assign independent and qualified reviewers with expertise in sports medicine, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and related fields.
• Timeliness: Editors must strive to conduct the peer review process within a reasonable timeframe to avoid unnecessary delays in publishing.
• Constructive Feedback: Editors must ensure that reviewer comments are professional, objective, and constructive, aiming to improve the quality of the manuscript.

4. Ethical Oversight and Research Integrity

Editors must ensure that all research published in the journal adheres to ethical guidelines, particularly in studies involving human subjects, clinical trials, or performance-enhancing interventions.

• Human and Animal Research Compliance: Studies involving human participants must have informed consent and institutional ethical approval. Research involving animals must adhere to humane treatment standards.
• Plagiarism and Data Fabrication Prevention: Editors must ensure manuscripts are screened for plagiarism, data manipulation, and unethical research practices.
• Clinical Trials and Case Studies: All clinical trials must be registered with recognized trial registries, and case reports must include patient consent.

5. Conflict of Interest Management

Editors must actively identify and manage conflicts of interest to maintain the credibility of the editorial process.

• Editorial Conflicts: Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where they have a personal or professional conflict of interest.
• Author and Reviewer Disclosure: Editors must require authors and reviewers to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the research findings.
• Industry Sponsorship: Editors must ensure that research funded by commercial entities is transparently disclosed and evaluated without bias.

6. Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions

Editors must take corrective actions if significant errors, ethical concerns, or research misconduct are identified after publication.

• Corrections: Minor errors should be addressed through errata or corrigenda.
• Retractions: Editors must retract articles in cases of proven scientific misconduct, plagiarism, or falsified data.
• Expression of Concern: If concerns arise about a published study but a conclusive decision is pending, editors may issue an expression of concern.

7. Transparency and Accountability in Editorial Policies

Editors must ensure that journal policies and ethical guidelines are transparent and consistently applied.

• Clear Guidelines: Editorial and peer review policies must be publicly accessible and updated regularly.
• Handling Ethical Complaints: Editors must address ethical concerns raised by authors, reviewers, or readers in a fair and transparent manner.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Editors should promote diverse representation among authors, reviewers, and the editorial board.

8. Editorial Independence and Responsibility

The editorial team must ensure that all publication decisions are independent, objective, and focused on advancing sports medicine research.

• Independent Decision-Making: Editorial decisions should be based solely on the scientific quality and relevance of the manuscript.
• Accountability: Editors must take responsibility for the content published in the journal and address any ethical concerns appropriately.
• Professional Conduct: Editors must foster a professional, respectful, and ethical working environment for authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.

By serving as an editor for the JSMT, individuals commit to upholding the highest ethical standards in publishing and maintaining the integrity of research in sports medicine and therapy. For any ethical concerns or clarifications regarding editorial responsibilities, editors are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office.