Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski has more surgery

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski underwent back surgery Tuesday, his fifth operation this year.

The operation performed by Dr. Robert Watkins was successful, said Drew Rosenhaus, Gronkowski’s agent.

On May 20, the Patriots star had his fourth surgery on the left forearm that he broke Nov. 18 while blocking for an extra point in a 59-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He broke it again in the Patriots’ first playoff game, a 41-28 win over the Houston Texans. Rosenhaus said the fourth surgery was expected to be the last on his forearm.

The Patriots open training camp in late July and start the regular season on Sept. 8 at Buffalo.

In 43 NFL games, Gronkowski has scored 39 touchdowns, 38 on passes and one on a run.

::

State and local police spent hours at the North Attleborough, Mass., home of Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday night as another group of officers searched an industrial park about a mile away where a body was discovered the day before.

Police at the scene and prosecutors would not comment on the actions. Sports Illustrated, citing an unidentified person, reported Hernandez was not believed to be a suspect in what was being treated as a possible homicide. Police had spoken with Hernandez, the magazine said.

Sports Illustrated reported the link between Hernandez and the case was a rented Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island plates that police had been searching for.

ETC.

Swim coach Jewell banned for three years

Longtime Southern California swim coach Bill Jewell has been banned for three years by USA Swimming for violations of its code of conduct. The ban was based on “a pattern of inappropriate behavior, including making sexually explicit comments toward athletes and other individuals affiliated with� Fullerton Aquatics Sports Team, according to a statement from USA Swimming. “There was no allegation of or evidence to support inappropriate sexual touching.�

Jewell worked at the Golden West Swim Club in Huntington Beach prior to FAST. In September, a former Golden West club employee sued former Olympic coach Mark Shubert for wrongful termination, alleging he ignored complaints she made regarding sexually inappropriate behavior by Jewell. That case is pending in Orange County Superior Court. Jewell is a longtime associate of Schubert.

—Lisa Dillman

::

Julio Chavez, a defender and captain of Chivas USA’s under-18 team, has died in an auto accident. He was 19.

Chavez was killed on Monday night in Modesto, his hometown, the team said.

Chivas USA will honor Chavez by wearing a black armband with his name and number on it and holding a moment of silence before the game against the Galaxy on Sunday.

::

After 16 consecutive years of showing up at Wimbledon, winning five titles along the way, Venus Williams pulled out of the Grand Slam tournament, citing a lower-back injury.

Williams, who turned 33 on Monday, never had missed Wimbledon since making her debut there in 1997, although she lost in the first round a year ago.

::

Monta Ellis has informed the Milwaukee Bucks that he won’t exercise his $11-million option for the upcoming season, making him an unrestricted free agent July 1. The move wasn’t a total surprise, coming after Ellis rejected a two-year contract extension last fall.

::

Veronica Campbell-Brown’s agent insists one of the cornerstones of Jamaica’s wide-ranging sprint success “is not a cheat,� even though the test results read differently.

While her case is being decided, the three-time Olympic gold medalist will sit out and her country will try to make sense of one of its longest-held fears: a high-profile track star being busted for doping.

Campbell-Brown, or “VCB� as she’s simply known in sprinting circles, tested positive for a banned diuretic at a meet in May and will serve a suspension while anti-doping officials rule on the positive drug test, island track officials announced.