Publication Fees and Waiver Policy

The Journal of Sport Sciences is committed to transparency in declaring publication fees and ensuring that all charges related to the publication process are clearly announced to authors before the completion of submission and publication procedures. Publication fees are not intended for profit; rather, they are used to cover part of the administrative, technical, and editorial costs associated with managing the journal website, manuscript screening, peer review,  formatting, publication, and archiving.

 First: Publication Fees
The publication fee for authors from inside Iraq is IQD 100,000.  For authors from outside Iraq, the publication fee is USD 100.

The manuscript should not exceed 15 pages according to the approved journal template. If the manuscript exceeds this limit, an additional fee of IQD 2,500 shall be charged for each extra page,  subject to the approval of the Editorial Board.

Second: Timing of Fee Payment

Publication fees are collected only after the manuscript has passed the initial editorial screening and similarity check and has been approved to proceed to the review or publication process in accordance with the journal’s policy. Payment of publication fees does not imply acceptance for publication, as the final publication decision remains subject to peer-review results and the decision of  the Editorial Board.

Third: Waivers and Discounts

The journal may, subject to available resources and the decision of the Editorial Board, consider requests for full or partial waiver of publication fees in justified cases, such as manuscripts of outstanding scientific value, partially supported research, or special cases in which the author provides a clear and acceptable  justification. Requests for waiver or discount must be submitted to the Editorial Board before completion of the final publication procedures. The request should include clear reasons and sufficient information to enable the Editorial Board to make an appropriate decision. The decision to grant a waiver or discount rests with the Editorial Board and does not affect the peer-review process or the academic decision  regarding the manuscript.

Fourth: Independence of Scientific Decision

The journal affirms that payment of publication fees, or the granting of a waiver or discount, has no influence whatsoever on the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. Publication decisions are based solely on the originality of the manuscript, soundness of methodology, quality of results, and compliance with the journal’s  author guidelines and research and publication ethics.

Fifth: Manuscript Withdrawal and Refunds

If an author requests withdrawal of the manuscript after the screening, peer-review, editorial, or technical procedures have started, the journal reserves the right to determine whether fees are refundable or non-refundable according to the stage reached by the manuscript and the amount of work already completed. The Editorial Board will inform the author of the applicable decision  when a withdrawal request is submitted.

Sixth: Disclosure and Transparency

The journal publishes its publication fees, additional page charges, and waiver conditions clearly on its official website. The journal does not impose any undisclosed charges on authors and is committed to informing them in advance of any financial  requirements related to the publication process.