Author Fee

`Author Fees Transparency: Publication in Sport-Mu requires an Article Processing Charge (APC) of IDR 200,000 upon final manuscript acceptance. In accordance with the COPE Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, "If author fees are charged (such as submission fees, publication fees, page charges, color charges, etc.), the fee amounts must be clearly stated on the journal website in a place that is easy for potential authors to find prior to submitting their manuscript". Sport-Mu ensures full transparency by displaying all applicable fee structures publicly on its website before authors initiate submission.

Timing and Disclosure of Fees: The fixed fee of IDR 200,000 covers editorial oversight, peer review coordination, typesetting, indexing, and digital archiving services. COPE guidelines explicitly require that "Fees or charges must be stated before authors begin preparing their manuscript for submission, or when the manuscript is submitted, and should not be raised after acceptance". Sport-Mu strictly adheres to this standard; no hidden fees, page charges, or post-acceptance price hikes will ever be applied to authors.
Editorial Independence from Fees: Payment of the IDR 200,000 publication fee has zero influence over editorial decision-making. As outlined in the COPE Guidelines on Editor and Journal Owner Relationships, editorial decisions must remain independent from commercial and financial considerations. Editorial acceptance or rejection of manuscripts submitted to Sport-Mu is determined solely by scientific quality, originality, and peer review recommendations, independent of fee payment status.
Waivers and Financial Hardship Policies: To ensure equitable access to scholarly publication, COPE advises that journals offering open access should provide waiver policies where appropriate. As emphasized in COPE's Best Practice Guidelines, "Journal fee waiver policies should be stated clearly and include information on who is eligible for a waiver". Sport-Mu provides complete or partial fee waivers for student authors, unfunded researchers, or authors experiencing financial hardship upon request prior to manuscript submission.

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