Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

"The Shield - Research Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science" is committed to protecting the privacy and security of all users, including authors, reviewers, and readers. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard personal information in compliance with global data protection standards (e.g., GDPR), upholding the principles of transparency required by DOAJ and COPE.

  1. Data Collection

We collect the minimum necessary information required to facilitate scholarly communication and manage the ethical publication process:

  • Personal Details: Names, email addresses, institutional affiliations, and ORCID IDs (if provided).
  • Manuscript Data: Submitted articles, peer review comments, and correspondence related to submissions.
  • Transactional Data: Records of payments (where applicable, though the journal is non-APC) and subscription/notification choices.
  1. Use of Data

Your information is used exclusively for legitimate academic and operational purposes:

  • Publication Workflow: Managing submissions, assigning reviewers, communicating editorial decisions, and coordinating the production process.
  • Dissemination: Sending notifications about new issues, calls for papers, or journal updates (this is opt-in optional).
  • Analytics: Aggregated, anonymized data (e.g., submission trends in sports sciences) is used solely to improve journal operations and website functionality.
  • Compliance: Verifying researcher identity and affiliations to uphold publication ethics.
  1. Data Security and Third-Party Services
  • Security Measures: We ensure secure data transmission via HTTPS and store information in access-controlled, encrypted databases. Access is restricted to authorized editorial staff.
  • Manuscript Management: Data is processed through secure platforms like Open Journal Systems (OJS), which adhere to strict privacy standards.
  • Analytics: Anonymous usage data may be shared with tools like Google Analytics to improve website functionality.
  1. User Rights (Data Subject Rights)

In compliance with global standards, you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data held by the journal.
  • Correction: Update inaccuracies in your profile or submissions.
  • Deletion/Erasure: Request to remove your data from our systems, except where retention is legally required (e.g., published articles, which form part of the permanent scholarly record).
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact the Editorial Office via the official email address.

  1. Data Retention
  • Active Accounts: Retained while users actively engage with the journal (e.g., submitting, reviewing, reading).
  • Inactive Accounts: Personal data associated with inactive accounts will be deleted after 5 years of inactivity.
  • Published Content: Personal data associated with the Version of Record (i.e., author names and affiliations on published articles) is retained permanently to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
  1. Cookies
  • Purpose: Cookies are used to enhance the user experience (e.g., maintaining login sessions, saving language preferences).
  • Control: Users may adjust cookie settings via their browser; however, disabling them may limit site functionality.
  1. Changes to This Policy and Contact

Updates to this policy will be posted on our website with a revised effective date. Continued use of the journal constitutes acceptance of these terms.

For privacy-related inquiries, please contact:

Editor The Shield - Research Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science

 Email: [email protected]