Why wasn't Japan eliminated in softball after losing to the US in the Semi-finals?

Question

Ok, the final 4 in Olympic Softball were the US, Japan, Australia, and Canada. US beat Japan, while the Aussie's beat Canada. Why did Japan get to play Australia again? Shouldn't of been the US vs Australia in the Gold Medal Round, while Japan and Canada play for the Bronze?

What sport allows a losing team to continue on in elimination round tourney? None but apparently softball does, it just does not make sense to me.

Answer 1

I didnt know that. Im australian so i watched them play Canada in a semi final and assumed that meant straight into the gold medal match. Then later in the day im told we lost to japan and are to play for bronze ??? huh

softball doesnt understand the term 'semifinal'?  

Answer 2

It is called

the Page System Playoff

http://en.beijing2008.cn/sports/softball...

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every event has their own committee that makes the rules

Answer 3

Page-system play off.

Wow. This is new to me.  Why so diff from other sports.

Answer 4

It's the way they do their playoffs.  In the softball playoff system, the top two seeds (USA and Japan) play each other, and the bottom two seeds (Australia and Canada) play each other.  The winner of the 3 and 4 seeds plays the loser between the 1 and 2 seeds in the Bronze medal match and the winner goes on to face the winner of the match between the 1 and 2 seeds in the Gold medal game.

My understanding is that this system has been in use for a long time.  It just finally resulted in the US being beaten.  Japan almost beat the US in the semis too, so, while it's still disappointing, it's not entirely shocking.

Answer 5

not only this year.the system has long history.

Answer 6

The Page system has its flaws but according to the IOC, since noone is watching, noone cares.  Maybe the US team loss to answer questions about them running up the scores, but really it takes one great pitcher to shut down an offense.   They took one for the sport to try to get it back in the Olymics.

Answer 7

First off, they had the same playoff system in 2004 at Athens so it's not new to anyone in softball.  In 2004, the USA was #1 and Australia was #2, while Japan was #3 and China #4.  Australia lost to the USA in the first game, while Japan beat China in the second game.  Then Australia beat Japan in the bronze medal game so they could play the USA in the gold medal game.  Japan took the bronze.

This Olympics: The USA beat Japan, and then Australia beat Canada.  Japan beat Australia (who won the bronze).  Then Japan beat the USA for the gold medal.  

It's basically a double elimination tournament until the gold medal game.  It's the system the College Baseball World Series used until 2003.

Too bad Japan didn't beat the USA in 2004.  I love to see the USA win, but two of the reasons women's softball won't be an Olympic sport: 1) It cost too much to build the facility and was lightly attended, and 2) American dominance.  It's not the winning streak, but it's the complete dominance before today.  Outscoring opponents 51-1 doesn't show much competitiveness (or outside interest).  

If they voted tommorrow, maybe the IOC keeps women's softball...  Maybe it will come back.