Hey Olex!
I think uefa wants that final teams wouldnīt have played each other before like four years ago.
And yes international softball federation has decided that format not IOC. Itīs also an interesting thing that one finalist has played one play off match before final but another finalist has played two play off matches before final. Good part of this format is that the bronze medal match wonīt be a match between two disappointed teams.
And thanks Alex for that link. I donīt have time travel to Copenhagen but I hope that I could watch some Olympic matches again.