Withdrawal Policy

Withdrawal Policy

"The Shield - Research Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science" upholds rigorous ethical standards to ensure the integrity of scholarly publishing in physical education and sports sciences. Authors wishing to withdraw a manuscript during the submission or review process must adhere strictly to the following protocol.

Withdrawal Procedure

Withdrawal is an ethical and formal process that requires the consent of all authors to prevent duplicate publication and ensure accountability.

  1. Notification: The corresponding author must submit a formal withdrawal request via email to the Editorial Office at [email protected]. The email must clearly state the Manuscript ID, full title, and the reason for withdrawal (e.g., a study on "Biomechanical Analysis of Sprint Techniques" withdrawn due to unresolved data inconsistencies).
  2. Withdrawal Form: The editorial office will promptly email a Manuscript Withdrawal Form.
  3. Submission of Form: This form requires physical signatures (non-electronic) from all authors listed on the manuscript. The completed, scanned form must be returned to the Editorial Office. Electronic signatures are not accepted.
  4. Confirmation: Upon verification of the signatures and the request, the editorial office will issue a formal withdrawal confirmation letter.
  5. Timeline: Processing withdrawal requests typically takes 5–7 business days post-receipt of the correctly signed form.

Key Considerations and Consequences

  • Ethical Compliance: Withdrawal requests must strictly align with COPE guidelines. Submitting the manuscript elsewhere before receiving formal withdrawal confirmation constitutes ethical misconduct (e.g., duplicate submission of a coaching methodology study).
  • Consequences of Non-Compliance: Unauthorized use of a non-withdrawn manuscript elsewhere (e.g., repurposing a sports psychology study for another journal) may result in blacklisting the authors from future submissions to "The Shield."
  • Journal’s Commitment: "The Shield" upholds transparency and accountability in sports research by ensuring all withdrawals are fully documented and ethically managed.

For guidance on ethical dilemmas, such as correcting major errors in athlete performance data, authors may contact the Editorial Office at [email protected].