The Journal of Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (JOHSK) is an international, peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to the dissemination of original research, systematic reviews, theoretical analyses, methodological studies, and evidence-based practices related to health sciences, sports science, kinesiology, physical education, exercise science, biomechanics, motor behavior, sport pedagogy, adapted physical activity, and closely related interdisciplinary fields.

 1.1. This policy establishes a comprehensive and enforceable governing framework:

1.        Manuscript submission and evaluation

2.        Double-blind peer review

3.        Editorial decision-making

4.        Ethical oversight and research integrity

5.        Post-publication responsibilities

1.2.       The policy is designed to:

1.        Protect the integrity of the scholarly record

2.        Ensure fairness, independence, and consistency in editorial decisions

3.        Provide full transparency and verifiability for external evaluation

4.        JOHSK affirms that all published policies are actively implemented, regularly reviewed, and publicly accessible, satisfying the “validity of statements” requirement.

2.1.             Editorial Leadership

JOHSK is led by an Editor-in-Chief, who holds ultimate responsibility for:

1.        Editorial direction and scholarly standards

2.        Enforcement of peer-review and ethics policies

3.        Final publication decisions

4.        Oversight of editorial independence

The Editor-in-Chief is supported by:

1. Managing Editor(s) – responsible for operational workflow and policy compliance and

2. Handling Editors / Associate Editors – responsible for managing peer review for assigned manuscripts

2.2.       Editorial Board Composition

 The Editorial Board consists of established scholars from multiple countries and institutions, representing diverse disciplinary, methodological, and geographic perspectives.

Editorial Board members:

1.        Advise on journal scope and strategy

2.        Assist in reviewer identification when requested

3.        Promote the journal within scholarly communities

4.        Editorial Board membership does not grant authority over acceptance or rejection of individual manuscripts.


2.3.       Editorial Independence

1.        JOHSK maintains full editorial autonomy.

2.        The publisher, owners, sponsors, donors, or affiliated organizations, including the International Organization for Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (IOHSK), have no role in editorial decisions.

3.        Financial, institutional, or organizational relationships do not influence peer review or acceptance decisions.

4.        Editorial independence is maintained contractually and operationally.

5.        This independence is essential for compliance with Scopus governance criteria and Clarivate Journal Integrity standards.

3.1. Originality and Exclusivity

Authors submitting to JOHSK must confirm that:

1.        The manuscript is original

2.        The manuscript is not under review elsewhere

3.        All authors approve the submission and final version

4.        Duplicate submission, redundant publication, or salami slicing are grounds for rejection.

3.2.       Authorship Criteria and Accountability

JOHSK requires authorship to be based on:

1.        Substantial scholarly contribution

2.        Participation in drafting or revising the manuscript

3.        Approval of the final version

4.        Accountability for the integrity of the work

5.        Guest, gift, or ghost authorship is strictly prohibited.

3.3.       Ethical Approval and Human/Animal Research          

1.        Research involving human participants or animals must include:

2.        Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval

3.        Informed consent or assent statements

4.        Compliance with relevant national and international regulations

5.        Manuscripts lacking required ethical approvals will not proceed to peer review.

4.1.             Screening Objectives

The purpose of initial screening is to:

1.        Ensure scope alignment

2.        Verify ethical compliance

3.        Protect reviewer resources

4.        Detect potential research misconduct early

4.2.        Screening Criteria

Editors verify:

1.        Completeness of submission

2.        Compliance with formatting and guidelines

3.        Ethics approval documentation

4.        Conflict of interest disclosures

5.        Funding statements

6.        Originality via similarity detection software

7.        Basic methodological soundness

4.3.       Desk Rejection

Manuscripts may be desk rejected for:

1.        Out-of-scope content

2.        Serious methodological flaws

3.        Ethical non-compliance

4.        Plagiarism or excessive similarity

5.        Failure to meet submission requirements

6.        All desk rejections are documented and communicated with clear rationale.

5.1. Definition and Rationale

JOHSK employs a double-blind peer-review system, meaning:

1.        Reviewers do not know author identities

2.        Authors do not know reviewer identities

3.        This model reduces conscious and unconscious bias and supports equitable evaluation.

5.2.       Anonymization Requirements

Authors must remove:

1.        Names and affiliations

2.        Acknowledgments

3.        Self-identifying references

4.        File metadata

5.        Editorial staff verify anonymization before reviewer assignment.

6.1. Minimum Reviewer Requirement

Each research manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent external reviewers. Acceptance cannot occur without documented peer review.

6.2.       Reviewer Qualifications

Reviewers are selected based on:

1.        Subject-matter expertise

2.        Recent scholarly publications

3.        Methodological competence

4.        Professional reputation

6.3.       International Diversity

JOHSK actively seeks reviewers from multiple regions and institutions to ensure global relevance and avoid regional bias.

7.1.             Author Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose:

1.        Financial interests

2.        Institutional affiliations

3.        Personal or professional relationships

7.2.       Reviewer Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must declare conflicts before accepting invitations. Reviewers with conflicts are excluded.

7.3.       Editor Conflicts of Interest

Editors with conflicts must recuse themselves. Manuscripts are reassigned to independent editors.

Reviewers must:

1.        Maintain confidentiality

2.        Provide objective, constructive feedback

3.        Base evaluations on evidence

4.        Avoid discriminatory language

5.        Refrain from using unpublished material

8.1.       Use of Artificial Intelligence

Reviewers may not upload manuscripts to AI tools that compromise confidentiality. Any permitted AI use must be disclosed and limited.

Reviewers assess:

1.        Originality and contribution

2.        Study design and methodology

3.        Data quality and analysis

4.        Ethical compliance

5.        Clarity and structure

6.        Validity of conclusions

7.        Relevance to international scholarship

10.1.     Decision Categories

1.        Accept

2.        Minor Revision

3.        Major Revision

4.        Reject

10.2.     Decision Authority

Final decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief or Handling Editor, independent of external influence.

10.3.     Documentation and Audit Trail

All reviewer reports, decisions, and correspondence are archived to ensure traceability, a key requirement for Clarivate review and evaluation.

Authors must submit:

1.        Revised manuscript

2.        Point-by-point response to reviewers

Major revisions are typically re-reviewed by original reviewers.

12.1.     Appeals

Authors may submit evidence-based appeals. Appeals are reviewed by an independent editor or   ethics committee.

12.2.     Complaints

Complaints regarding peer review or ethics are investigated objectively and documented.

JOHSK maintains policies for:

1.        Corrections

2.        Retractions

3.        Expressions of Concern

4.        All notices are:

5.        Clearly labeled

6.        Permanently accessible

7.        Linked to the original article

JOHSK publicly provides:

1.        Peer-review process description

2.        Editorial board names and affiliations

3.        Ethics and misconduct policies

4.        Conflict of interest policy

5.        Publication fees or confirmation of no fees

6.        Licensing and copyright

7.        Archiving and preservation information

8.        English-language titles and abstracts

9.        Roman-script bibliographic information

10.    Clear contact details

This policy is reviewed periodically to:

1.        Reflect evolving ethical standards

2.        Align with Scopus and Web of Science updates

3.        Address emerging issues (e.g., AI, data sharing, preprints)

The Journal of Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (JOHSK) affirms that its editorial and peer-review practices are:

1.        Fully implemented

2.        Publicly verifiable

3.        Independently governed

4.        Ethically grounded

5.        Internationally oriented

1.     Updated on November 30, 2025.
2.     Next review is scheduled for December 1, 2027.
3.     Amendments may be made at any time by decision of the    Editorial Committee, as necessary.