Ethics

International Journal of Racket Sports Science takes reasonable steps to identify and prevent the publication of papers where research misconduct has occurred, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, and data falsification/fabrication, among others. In no case shall IJRSS and/or its editors encourage such misconduct, or knowingly allow such misconduct to take place. In the event that a journal’s publisher or IJRSS editors are made aware of any allegation of research misconduct relating to a published article in our journal, IJRSS shall follow COPE’s guidelines in dealing with allegations.

International Journal of Racket Sports Science submits all its articles to plagiarism detection and prevention software Turnitin.

IJRSS follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in Publication Ethics to avoid misconduct in publication and ensure procedures and articles meet the expected quality criteria.

The following are considered misconduct and grounds for rejection of the manuscript at any stage of the publication process:

Redundant publication
Plagiarism
Falsification of data (photographs, statistics, graphs, etc.)
Falsification of information (authors' affiliation, signatures, etc.)
Impersonation and falsification of authorship

About Authorship

Authorship is restricted to those who made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, or analysis of the study. All relevant contributors must be listed as authors in a pre-agreed order collaboratively before submitting the manuscript to the journal.

Those who did not participate in key aspects of the research or the manuscript may be mentioned in the Acknowledgments but should not be considered authors.

The corresponding author (in the case of an article with multiple authors) is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the work and accepted its publication in International Journal of Racket Sports Science. International Journal of Racket Sports Science uses the CReDIT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system to clearly detail individual contributions (conceptualization, methodology, data analysis, writing, critical review, among others). This promotes transparency and ensures proper recognition of each author according to their role.

Copyright

International Journal of Racket Sports Science is an open-access journal, which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access. In accordance with the open access policy described above, subscriptions to IJRSS are completely free of charge. The journal allows its authors to upload published articles to personal websites, institutional repositories, among others. Regarding authorship, this license establishes that the authors are the holders of the intellectual property rights of their works, which can be redistributed in exchange for adequate recognition. The journal allows its authors to upload published articles to personal websites, institutional repositories, among others.

This journal provides open access under the license Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Gender Equality Policy

The International Journal of Racket Sports Science is committed to promoting gender equality in its activities. We recognize the importance of a gender perspective, diversity, and inclusion in scientific endeavors. This policy aims to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination, seeking to foster a respectful and equitable environment for authors, reviewers, and readers.

These are our general principles:

Equal Opportunities: At the International Journal of Racket Sports Science, we guarantee equal opportunities in the editorial process for articles, as well as in the selection of reviewers and members of the Editorial Board.
Use of Inclusive Language: We promote the use of inclusive and gender-neutral language, both in published articles and in announcements.
Balanced Representation: By 2026, at least 40% of the Journal's Editorial Board and reviewers will be made up of women, seeking gender balance.
Gender perspective in research: The International Journal of Racket Sports Science encourages and approves research that considers gender dimensions and promotes a gender perspective in its analyses.
Zero tolerance for harassment: The International Journal of Racket Sports Science maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination. The Journal is committed to providing effective, confidential, victim-centered, and justice-oriented reporting mechanisms.

Artificial Intelligence Use Policy for International Journal of Racket Sports Science

Purpose

To ensure the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the content production, research, and editorial operations of the International Journal of Racket Sports Science, maintaining scientific integrity and trust in the field of racket sports.

Scope

Applies to all contributors (authors, editors, reviewers), internal staff, and partners who use AI tools in journal-related activities, including:

Writing and editing articles.
Analyzing scientific data.
Generating images, graphics, or predictive models.
Interacting with readers (e.g., chatbots).

Key Principles

Transparency

Mandatory Disclosure: All use of AI in content creation (text, images, analysis) must be explicitly declared, indicating the tool and its function (e.g., "Translation assisted by [tool X]").
Prohibition of AI authorship: AI cannot be listed as the author or replace human authorship.
Publishing articles or studies created entirely by AI without human oversight, validation, and authorship is prohibited.

Accuracy and Accountability

Human Verification: All data, conclusions, or visualizations generated by AI must be validated by the authors. Notice must also be provided so that reviewers are aware of this.

Ultimate Accountability: Authors and editors are legally and academically responsible for errors, even if they originate from AI.

Data Privacy and Ethics

Data Protection: Sensitive data (e.g., athlete biometrics) will not be used on public AI platforms without consent and anonymization.
Regulatory Compliance: Comply with general data protection regulations.

Fairness and Bias Mitigation

Bias Assessment: Critically review AI results to avoid discrimination on issues such as gender, age, or socioeconomic status in sports studies.

Education and Compliance

Sanctions: Violation of this policy will result in manuscript rejection, retraction, or prohibition from future collaboration.
Reporting Mechanism: Readers and contributors can report concerns by emailing info@journal.racketsportscience.org

Review and Update

The policy will be reviewed annually, incorporating feedback from the scientific community and advances in AI.

Glossary

Generative AI: Tools that create text, images, or code (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL-E).
Deepfake: Synthetic media that mimics the appearance or voice of real people.

Final Commitment

The International Journal of Racket Sports Science will promote innovation in racket sports science, balancing the potential of AI with academic rigor, ethics, and transparency.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Authors

Ensure the originality and novelty of the work submitted to the journal. Authors must acknowledge and properly cite all sources used in their research.
Submit manuscripts exclusively through the Open Journal System (OJS) platform, by accessing the link https://revistaseug.ugr.es/index.php/IJRSS/user/register if you have not registered, or by logging in at https://revistaseug.ugr.es/index.php/IJRSS/user/login
Review and rigorously comply with the standards established in the guidelines for authors, available at: https://revistaseug.ugr.es/index.php/IJRSS/about/submissions#authorGuidelines
Obtain official permission to reproduce third-party materials (e.g., graphics, images, diagrams, maps, etc.) that are not your own.
Submit only unpublished and original texts that are not under review by other journals or subject to prior editorial agreements.
Specify the project's funding sources and declare any potential conflicts of interest related to the research.
Detail the specific contribution of each author to the work, including only those who actively participated in its development.
Make public corrections or retractions if errors or inconsistencies are identified in the published manuscript.
Include the complete bibliography of all references cited or mentioned in the text.
Attach approval from the research ethics committee and the informed consent of the participants, where applicable.

It is recommended that you verify compliance with each requirement before submitting the manuscript.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Editor:

Provide clear and timely information about the journal, its editorial policies, and procedures to authors, reviewers, and readers.
Determine the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript solely based on criteria of quality, originality, thematic relevance, and academic relevance.
Oversee the overall quality of articles and documents approved for publication.
Diligently address complaints, requests for retraction, corrections, or clarifications related to published content.
Timely publish amendments, clarifications, or retractions when errors or inconsistencies are detected.
Ensure an impartial and confidential evaluation system for received manuscripts.
Declare and manage potential conflicts of interest among the editorial team, authors, reviewers, or associated institutions.
Refrain from using information or content from manuscripts for personal benefit or that of third parties before publication.
Verify that the research has been approved by an ethics committee, as appropriate. Additionally, independently assess compliance with ethical standards in the studies, even if they have already received institutional approval.
Protect the confidentiality of the data of authors, reviewers, and readers throughout the editorial process.
Maintain updated guidelines, regulations, and resources for authors and reviewers, which are available on the journal's website.

The editor must ensure transparency, integrity, and ethics at all stages of the editorial process.

Reviewer Duties and Responsibilities:

Promptly notify the editorial team if they accept or decline the invitation to review a manuscript.
Declare personal, academic, or professional conflicts of interest that may affect their impartiality.
Conduct objective and rigorous evaluations based on the methodological and ethical criteria established by the journal.
Preserve the anonymity and confidentiality of manuscripts during and after the review process.
Avoid exploiting information or content from the reviewed papers for personal or third-party benefit before publication.
Support all observations, corrections, or suggestions made to the manuscript with clear and specific arguments.
Alert the editor to possible irregularities, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or duplicate publications.
Issue a reasoned recommendation (accept, reject, or accept with modifications) and submit it through the OJS platform within the established deadlines.
If generative AI tools are used, do so responsibly, transparently, and document their use in the review report.

Reviewers must commit to academic integrity, confidentiality, and adherence to deadlines in each review.

Protocol for communicating editorial decisions

Initial reception and confirmation

When the manuscript is received, a confirmation email is sent to the author.

Preliminary Evaluation

The Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor verifies that the manuscript complies with the journal's scope, format, and ethical standards. If it does not meet basic requirements, a structured email is sent explaining the reasons. If it meets the journal's requirements, it proceeds to peer review.

Assignment of Reviewers

The section editor selects two reviewers with expertise in the manuscript's core topic. A formal request is sent with defined deadlines, evaluation guidelines, an anonymized manuscript, and an evaluation form. If a reviewer declines the request, the process is repeated until the panel is complete.

Peer Review Process

Reviewers submit their reports using a standardized form (originality, rigor, contribution, suggestions). If there are delays, the editorial team will send reminders to the reviewers.

Editorial Decision-Making

The Editor-in-Chief reviews the reports and makes the following decision:

Acceptance without changes.
Minor/Major Revision: Request for specific corrections. In this case, the author is sent a document containing the reviewers' comments (anonymized), specifying how to proceed and the deadlines for resubmitting their manuscript with the requested adjustments.
Rejection: Based on the reviewers' comments.

Resubmission Process (if applicable)

The author submits the revised version and (if desired) a letter responding to the comments. The editor assesses whether the corrections are satisfactory or require further peer review. Steps 4-6 are repeated until a final decision is reached.

Note: In the event of a tie in the reviews, a third reviewer will be assigned to assist in making specific decisions.

Final Decision

Acceptance: The author is notified of the next steps: metadata translation (if applicable), submission for layout, and layout review.

Rejection: Clear and constructive communication is provided, with no option for resubmission (except for appeals).

Appeals

If the author disagrees, they may appeal by submitting a written justification within 15 days. The Editor-in-Chief will review the request with a third reviewer or the editorial board. A response will be provided within 30 days.

Requests for Clarification

Authors and readers may request clarifications related to the editorial process. These requests should be sent to info@racketsportscience.org. Responses will be provided as soon as possible.

All communications, reports, and manuscript versions will be securely archived. Encrypted platforms will be used, and unnecessary personal data will be removed from all files managed.

Data Sharing and Reproducibility

We actively promote data sharing and the reproducibility of published results. Authors are encouraged to share the underlying research data so that it is accessible to other researchers and can be used to verify the information in published articles.

In the case of sensitive data or those with ethical restrictions, authors must provide a clear explanation of these limitations.

Intellectual Property

We respect the intellectual property rights of all authors and contributors to our journal. Authors must ensure that any copyrighted material used in their work has the necessary permissions for reproduction. Authors are encouraged to use openly licensed resources and share their work in a way that promotes collaboration and the advancement of scientific knowledge.

In addition, authors with approved and published articles are encouraged to share them on their academic and professional social networks. They can also deposit the final version of their articles, which have been accepted for publication, in open access institutional or thematic repositories as soon as the article is published on our website.

Requests for Clarification

Both authors and readers may request clarification regarding the editorial process.

Authors and readers may request clarification related to the editorial process. These requests should be sent to info@journal.racketsportscience.org.

Retractions

For the International Journal of Racket Sports Science, retraction processes are actions that seek to correct and improve published scientific literature. They are not viewed as instruments to sanction authors; on the contrary, they seek to contribute to improving their work in the academic field.

In these cases, retraction of published articles is justified:

Methodological flaws: errors in the methodological design, data analysis that contradicts the conclusions, insufficient sample size, inadequate application of methodology, problems in data presentation.
Fabrication or falsification of data: deliberate manipulation of collected information to show other results, falsifying images, excluding results that contradict the proposed hypotheses.
Plagiarism: using other people's work, information, and ideas without crediting them. This includes literal plagiarism or paraphrasing without proper citation and referencing.
Duplicate publication: when the same research results are published in multiple journals.
Ethical violations: failure to comply with ethical protocols in research, related to informed consent, conflict of interest, or any ethical standard within the framework of research.

Retraction processes will be carried out through a regular channel, providing guarantees to those involved.

Information regarding potential cases that warrant retraction of an already published article should be sent directly to info@journal.racketsportscience.org, including a description of the complaint, a copy of the problematic article, evidence of plagiarism, and other elements considered relevant to support the complaint.