Michael Jordan, a five-time National Basketball Association most valuable player who led the Chicago Bulls to six championships, said today he is returning to the game.

　　Jordan, who came to Washington to be president of the Wizards but saw the team struggle to a 19-63 record in the 2000-2001 season, ended the suspense with a modest written statement disclosing his plans.

　　He said he has signed a two-year contract.

　　"I am returning as a player to the game I love," Jordan said in a news release issued through his management agency.

　　Sports World in Suspense

　　Jordan‘s return had been anticipated for months, but he kept the sports world in suspense while he tried to answer questions about his conditioning and resolve business conflicts that could arise from his playing again.

　　His announcement was sure to hearten a city that saw the Pentagon struck by a hijacked airliner and whose economy has suffered since the Sept. 11 attacks as hotels have been booked far below capacity.

　　Requests for seasons‘ tickets had surged in recent weeks as speculation increased that Jordan would abandon the executive suite of Wizards‘ president to return to the hardwood.

　　Once he gets there, Jordan not only will have to cope with the time he has been away from the game — since the end of 1999 — but he‘ll also be playing with teammates that in some cases he drafted or had a say in selecting. His coach will be Doug Collins, whom Jordan chose and hired last year.

　　Estee Portnoy, a spokesman for SFX, Jordan‘s management agency, said Jordan agreed to donate his salary for the coming season to relief agencies working with the victims of the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York.

　　"I am especially excited about the Washington Wizards, and I‘m convinced we have the foundation on which to build a playoff-contention team," Jordan said. "The opportunity to teach our young players and help them elevate their game to a higher level, and to thank the fans in Washington for their loyalty and support, strongly influenced my decision."

　　Jordan‘s announcement had been expected Monday, but he had to clear up a last-minute problem with a sponsor.

　　Jordan never ruled out returning to the game, although he sought repeatedly to dampen speculation. At one point, he told reporters he was "99.9 percent certain" that he would stay retired.