Editorial: A new journal for the international perspective on sport and exercise psychology

On February 2, 2003, while writing this editorial, we heard the tragic news about space shuttle Columbia. The mission of the seven astronauts on board was to explore the space and widen the horizons of humans who live on earth. They were born in different countries, were of different nationalities, were influenced by different cultures and had different values, but they worked together as an expert team for all of us and our future. The mission of their flight to space was purely research. They conducted more than 200 studies; among them exercise effects under conditions of lack of gravitation. Unfortunately none of these extraordinary men and women have survived. This tragic event may also be regarded as a symbolic message to the growing community of sport and exercise scientists and practitioners: Despite the differences in opinions, methodologies, and theoretical foundations, it is through an international and team effort that sport and exercise psychology will further develop for the benefit of humanity. Generally speaking, this is the main aim of the new ISSP outlet, the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (IJSEP).