There is a number of elite sports in the Olympics and they are very easy to spot: just look for kings and royals in their federations. Since elite sports are politically incorrect (but in kingdoms) and sports are becoming more and more important as a politic tool, their federations feel the need to make them look popular in order to keep the olympic status while the same elite holds effective control.

I see the Laser and Windsurf as smoke curtains. If the move towards popular boats was honest, the Finn would have been excluded long ago, the 49er would have replaced the 470 instead of joined it, the Hobie 16 would have been the Olympic multihull, the keelboat wouldn't remain Olympic and kites would be at least in the pipeline.

That said, expensive equipment effectively cap the chances of poor countries.