General Policy

Journal of Sport and Exercise Studies recognizes that artificial intelligence tools may assist authors, reviewers, and editors in certain limited tasks, such as language editing, translation support, reference checking, coding assistance, or preliminary data organization. However, the use of AI tools must not compromise originality, accuracy, confidentiality, authorship responsibility, data integrity, research ethics, or the reliability of the scholarly record.

Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal, including text, data, images, figures, tables, analysis, citations, interpretations, and conclusions. The use of AI tools does not reduce or transfer author responsibility.

Core Principles

Permitted Uses of AI Tools

Authors may use AI tools in limited and responsible ways, provided that such use does not compromise originality, accuracy, research integrity, or ethical compliance. Permitted uses may include:

• Language editing, grammar correction, or readability improvement;
• Translation support, provided that the authors verify the accuracy of the translated text;
• Formatting assistance or reference organization;
• Coding assistance for data processing, provided that authors verify all code and outputs;
• Preliminary data organization or visualization support, provided that the underlying data and analysis are valid and verifiable;
• Assistance in improving clarity of presentation, provided that the scholarly content remains authored and verified by the human authors.

Authors must review, verify, and take full responsibility for any content or output produced with the assistance of AI tools.

Prohibited Uses of AI Tools

The journal does not permit the use of AI tools in ways that undermine academic integrity, research reliability, confidentiality, or authorship responsibility. Prohibited uses include:

• Generating fabricated data, false results, fictitious participants, or invented experimental records;
• Creating false citations, inaccurate references, or misleading source attributions;
• Producing or altering images, figures, charts, or visual evidence in a way that misrepresents research findings;
• Using AI-generated text as a substitute for original scholarly analysis, interpretation, or argument;
• Concealing the use of AI tools where such use materially contributed to the manuscript;
• Uploading confidential participant data, identifiable images, unpublished manuscript files, reviewer reports, or editorial communications to public AI systems;
• Using AI tools to bypass peer review, manipulate citations, misrepresent authorship, or mislead editors and reviewers.

AI Disclosure Requirements

Authors should disclose the use of AI tools when such tools have materially contributed to the manuscript. Material contribution may include generating or substantially revising text, assisting with translation, coding, statistical analysis, data visualization, image generation, or other research-related tasks.

A disclosure statement should normally include:

• The name and version of the AI tool, where available;
• The purpose for which the tool was used;
• The section or task affected by the tool;
• A statement that the authors reviewed and verified the AI-assisted content;
• A statement that the authors take full responsibility for the final manuscript.

AI Tools and Authorship

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires human responsibility, accountability, intellectual contribution, approval of the final manuscript, and the ability to respond to questions about the work.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all listed authors meet appropriate authorship criteria and that all contributors are acknowledged fairly. AI-generated or AI-assisted content does not create authorship status for an AI system or software provider.

Research Integrity Requirements

All manuscripts must meet the journal’s standards for research integrity. Authors must report research methods, data sources, analysis procedures, findings, limitations, and conclusions honestly and accurately.

The following practices are unacceptable:

• Data fabrication or invention of research records;
• Data falsification or inappropriate alteration of research results;
• Selective reporting that misrepresents the evidence;
• Undisclosed manipulation of images, figures, or visual materials;
• Misleading statistical analysis or unsupported interpretation;
• Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, or redundant publication;
• Misrepresentation of authorship, funding, conflicts of interest, or ethical approval.

Data Integrity in Sport and Exercise Research

Sport and exercise research may involve physiological measurements, performance testing, intervention records, survey responses, interview data, video analysis, wearable devices, mobile applications, motion tracking systems, training logs, or health-related information. Authors must ensure that such data are collected, processed, analyzed, stored, and reported responsibly.

Authors should ensure that:

• Participant data are collected with appropriate ethical approval and consent where required;
• Data from wearable devices, sensors, cameras, or digital platforms are described accurately;
• Data processing steps are transparent and reproducible where possible;
• Statistical or computational analyses are appropriate for the research question;
• Missing data, excluded cases, outliers, and preprocessing decisions are reported honestly;
• Claims about performance, health, intervention effects, or behavior change are supported by evidence.

Image, Figure, and Visual Data Integrity

Images, figures, graphs, videos, screenshots, motion-analysis outputs, sensor visualizations, and other visual materials must accurately represent the underlying data or evidence. Authors must not manipulate visual materials in a way that changes, conceals, exaggerates, or misrepresents the findings.

Authors should:

• Provide clear captions and source notes for figures and images;
• Describe image processing, filtering, enhancement, or visualization methods where relevant;
• Ensure that charts and graphs are not misleading in scale, labeling, or presentation;
• Obtain permission for copyrighted or third-party visual materials where required;
• Obtain consent for identifiable images or video materials involving human participants.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

Authors, reviewers, and editors must protect confidential information. This includes unpublished manuscripts, participant data, personal information, identifiable images, health-related data, institutional records, reviewer comments, and editorial communications.

Confidential or identifiable information must not be entered into public AI tools, unsecured software platforms, or third-party systems unless appropriate consent, ethical approval, legal basis, and data protection safeguards are in place.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must treat manuscripts and review materials as confidential. Reviewers should not upload manuscripts, supplementary files, figures, tables, data, or confidential editorial communications to public or third-party AI tools where confidentiality, data security, or intellectual property protection cannot be assured.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content of their review reports. If reviewers use digital tools to assist with the organization or language of their review comments, they must ensure that the final review is accurate, professional, independent, and confidential.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and editorial communications. Editors should not use AI tools in ways that disclose confidential manuscript content, reviewer identities, editorial discussions, or unpublished research information to unauthorized third-party systems.

Editors should evaluate concerns about AI use, data integrity, authorship, plagiarism, image manipulation, research ethics, and confidentiality in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics policies.

Detection, Clarification, and Editorial Action

The Editorial Office may request clarification from authors when concerns arise regarding AI use, research integrity, data reliability, image manipulation, authorship, plagiarism, citation accuracy, or ethical compliance.

Depending on the nature and severity of the concern, the journal may:

• Request an AI use disclosure or clarification;
• Ask authors to provide original data, analysis files, code, protocols, or ethics documentation;
• Request correction, revision, or additional methodological explanation;
• Delay editorial decision or publication pending clarification;
• Reject the manuscript if serious integrity concerns are confirmed;
• Issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction after publication where necessary.

Corrections and Post-Publication Concerns

If concerns about AI use, data integrity, image integrity, plagiarism, authorship, ethical approval, or research reliability are identified after publication, the journal will assess the concern and take appropriate editorial action.

Corrective actions may include requesting author clarification, publishing a correction, issuing an expression of concern, retracting the article, or taking other measures necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Policy Summary

AI tools may assist, but they cannot replace author responsibility.

AI tools must not be listed as authors.

Material AI use must be disclosed.

Research data, images, analysis, and conclusions must be accurate, transparent, and verifiable.

Confidential manuscripts, participant data, and editorial materials must not be uploaded to public AI systems.